Palin Stock on the Rise

Might as well admit it: I misunderestimated Sarah Palin.

Her performance last night was terrific. After three days of absorbing more national media scrutiny -- fair and unfair -- than she'd ever faced before, Palin came out and delivered her acceptance speech with confidence, energy and wit. Her best line devastatingly countered Barack Obama's remark about economically depressed folks who cling to God and firearms: "We don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening." Touche! Sure, this may have been scripted for her by speechwriter Matthew Scully (his stock is up this morning, too). But it worked because she uttered it in the voice of an actual small-town American.

Palin also got a non-verbal assist from the TV cameraman who focused on her little six-year-old daughter, Piper, as she kissed and caressed her disabled baby brother Trig. I don't know about you, but I found this image irresistibly cute and surprisingly reassuring on the issue of whether Palin is wise to take on both a vice presidential campaign and the tumult that is her family life. Now I get it: The whole bunch of ' em are going to raise Trig.

Handling the vice presidency itself, let alone the presidency, is obviously a much, much different matter. Palin still has a lot to prove about her policy knowledge, her judgment and other qualifications for national office. She still tugs the McCain-led ticket to the Republican right rather than the vital center. But all those who doubt her political talent, her potential for connecting with working-class voters, or her ability generally to take the heat of the next two months, must now leave the room.

Congrats Sarah Palin, Youll be a great Vice President., Or President for that matter. If you want to learn more about Sarah Palin or her Back Ground they have alot of Background Info, Pics, Videos, about Sarah and her Family. http://www.veeppeek.com The Next Big Scadal She will have to overcome will be her daughers, boyfriend. http://www.hotpres.com

2) You are saying you "misunderestimated" her based entirely on her ability to read a speech written by somebody else.

Personally, I like to set the bar for President of the United States higher than ability to read a speech. The last 8 years have shown us the results of choosing someone based on their superficial abilities.

What is wrong with everyone in the media. The speech, rhetorically speaking, was AWFUL! Have you ever studied speeches. This one was terrible. Horrible inflection, slow pace, no power behind any words. Give me a break. She sounded like she was reading off the teleprompter the whole time.

Mr. Lane,
Thank you for your brilliant observations but prepare yourself for the Nannystate onslaught. That Piper is one photogenic, projecting human being. Her waves to the crowd were adorable as well. Yes, I agree that Biden in the debates will have a hard time and I see him regressing to that same Indian accent he is now using when he visits the 7-11 and Dunkin Doughnuts.

2) You are saying you "misunderestimated" her based entirely on her ability to read a speech written by somebody else.

Personally, I like to set the bar for President of the United States higher than ability to read a speech. The last 8 years have shown us the results of choosing someone based on their superficial abilities.

-ng

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so you are voting for....john mccain? joe biden? oh, wait, joe biden is not running for president.

so who are you voting for? since you arent swayed by superficial qualities, you surely arent backing barack obama.

I agree with "Are you crazy" above. That was the most rambling, uninteresting "speech" I have heard by a politician on a ticket in several decades. I don't know why the media received it with so much praise. Perhaps, it was because their expectations of Sarah were so low. What exactly did she say the Republicans were going to do for the "small town americans" she purports to represent? NOT A DOGGONE THING! There was no mention of the "small town americans" who don't have jobs, health care and those who are facing foreclosure? Somehow, these issues were left out of her comedy act. Wake up small town America! The Republicans think you are dumb. They have no intention of helping you...just look at the past 8 years. I caution all voters not to be fooled by the "Sarah Palin side-show."

She delivered all the necessary one liners in a great speech written for the moment and the event. I'm absolutely not convinced of her sincerity. If this rhetoric of riposte puts bread on my table I'll be impressed. My experience in the workplace has NOT been dignifying, one that Joe Biden says he would like to establish. Having faced volatile abuse in some very large and well known companies, I have reached the conclusion that management culture and establishment is simply too misanthropic. Part of corporate profit simply gets funneled back into political campaigns to perpetuate this system. Her spirited defense that is spoken of in the media is NOT a plan to put bread on our tables. It is designed to stimulate votes getting. Mr Lane your article is a case in point. McCains credentials are impeccable but he represents a party which seems to have lost its compass. One important point I must make is that she came out in favor of feeding the national thirst for oil. What every politician must face is the cost to the environment and future generations.

Lane,
You’re 100% right, that if people go into the tank for little kids, Palin has got this thing sewn up. They probably should have brought out the family dog and had her bake an apple pie just for good measure.

With this kind of trenchant analysis from you and your ilk, it’s no wonder why elections get decided on this kind of rot. Our troops are fighting in two wars and the economy is in shreds. But Palin’s “policy knowledge” as a voter consideration comes in the 4th paragraph of your little puff piece, and is buttressed with the supposedly unassailable conclusion that she’s got the “political talent” and the ability to connect with “working class” voters based on one speech. Pathetic.

"...to take the heat of the next two months, must now leave the room."

Are you kidding me?!?! What's she going to do now - go back into seclusion? Create herself a bubble and only preach to the converted? Bad publicity is not a fatal illness. I personally didn't expect her to die from it, what did you expect?

I found her speech jarring, nasty (despite her permanent smile throughout), and unconvincing on any issue basis. It was an appeal to the gut-level divisive politics that Republicans have relied on since Nixon. It played well at the Republican convention last night, but I think the style is wearing thin. Palin's unwavering self-confidence seems out of place, considering her lack of national and international experience - in fact, it is downright scary. She reminds one of G.W. Bush in that regard. Yikes!

Yes, Palin was polished in her delivery, and that is a talent, even if the speech itself was totally ghostwritten. But what really struck me is how utterly smug and nasty she is. That was the overarching impression.

What people are missing in the "hockey mom as pit bull" analogy is what the hockey mom is being pit-bull-like about. Which is: harassing coaches and referees on behalf of her child. I've seen this behavior at the hockey rink, the soccer field, and the ball diamond, and I do not want to see it in the White House.

And NG: Of course "misunderestimated" is a word--it is one of our 43rd president's favorites!

Palin's teleprompter broke per AP news...half way through her speech so she "winged" it from there. When that happened to Obama he was left stuttering, etc. and wasn't able to proceed. Palin illustrated is so many ways why she is stronger, more qualified than both democrats combined! She isn't a stuffed suit with no experience.

One of the things I looked for last night, was to see if Palin could fill the role of president in the event McCain became ill. The content and the smugness of the speech fell far short of showing that. She appeared to be just an attach dog. Unless she presents herself differently in the future, I cannot picture her running this country. To give her a speech full of sarcasim and put downs, was a bad approach to introduce her to the American public. I thought she was auditioning to replace Jay Leno, not a president.

It dawned on me yesterday that Palin is taking the same role that Bush did eight years ago. Just like Bush she is basically an empty suit who is plyable and easily marketable. Just like Bush, she will be hidden from public view except under the most controlled situations Meanwhile, others, surrogates, will constantly tell us "who she is." I've already heard it nonstop on cable. "She believes this, she is that." She is being defined and marketed. American are easily manipulated and the people that work for the big money powers that actually runs this country are making a stab at at selling her. The chances of McCain surviving the next eight years are pretty low and then there we would be, again with another naif, another empty suit spouting jingoistic slogans while big business contiues to clean out our treasury as they have done for the last eight years. Fortunately, she will be harder to sell than Bush, because Bush was a Bush, which added a lot of credibility that she doesn't bring with her.

Palin is a bit of a phoney.
The Republicans brag about her toughness, but squeel like stuck pigs if a reporter wants to ask her a question. If she's tough enought to go toe to toe with Putin, why hide from reporters?
She brags about Alaska's "independence" and cutting taxes, but Alaska gets more federal money per capita than any state in the union (4500/person). It's easy to cut taxes when you use "bridge to nowhere" money to balance your books (she didn't take the bridge, but she kept the money!).
And for goodness sakes - what are they thinking getting their daughters boyfriend there? If Obama did that we'd never hear the end of "his dysfunctional family". Pardon me but I think Sarah Palin and her family are a better fit for the Jerry Springer Show than the White House!

Agreed that she does have some charisma at the podium since we did watch her speech tonight. Now before everybody gets overly energized by her - already I've heard comments to the effect that this speech alone definitely qualifies her for the vice-presidency and why not the presidency -, let's keep in mind that not one word of that speech was written by her. Not one single word. Matthew Scully, her appointed speech writer, penned the text. (By the way, I think it is lamentable that politicians these days do not write their own speeches. We are told they have no time. But they do have time to play golf or hunt moose etc. Lincoln wrote his Gettysburg address on a train.) All we can ascertain from her delivery is that she is very good at reading effectively from a tele-prompter. My daughter could probably do just as well, but this doesn't qualify her to be vice-president.

Seriously, she had some points, especially when she lashed out on Obama. (And what an unmitigated disaster an Obama presidency would be.) However, I don't think people get that a "soccer mom" does not a great president make - references to Harry Truman notwithstanding. This morning, I've seen that she is being compared to Reagan. I would have to concur with what you say about the cult of personality and of the shallowness it entails. This is a very disquieting development. In this respect, the Republicans are doing their very best to ape the Democrats. They seem to be doing exceedingly well with this ploy. You say that we must not only have a candidate with personality, but also one with principles. But I think we run a danger when we only emphasize the beliefs or principles advocated by a leader. Millions adhere to similar principles but I'm sorry to say that proclaiming them isn't enough. It is a mistake that the so-called conservative base continues to make. We agreed with practically every position George W. Bush held. To many, this alone automatically qualified him for president. However, when the individual in question lacks intellectual depth, a substantial historical and philosophical culture, suppleness of the mind and psychological insight, there is so much he can botch anyway. When he lacks the ability to articulate his thoughts and even so much as explain his decisions in their proper context, he destroys his credibility, and that of his party and administration. It has nothing to do with being an insider or outsider, belonging to the Washington elite or not - and let's admit it: McCain belongs to this establishment despite protests to the contrary. (All I heard during the gubernatorial election in California was that we need an outsider in Sacramento. I then stood by in disbelief while voters elected a cartoon character. We see the consequences of that choice today.) It does however have everything to do with fundamental competence. And as taxpayers and citizens, this is the very least we can ask of in a president. We are told that we should give Palin a chance. I for one am not for so light-heartedly gambling with our country's future and sacrificing it at the altar of political correctness.

Apparently Sarah Palin is now to undergo intensive tutoring in foreign affairs and other aspects of governance. This is so superficial and childish. To think one can learn in some kind of crash course what years of experience and expertise can only nurture. It reminds me of those crash courses entitled "Master the Piano in Three Weeks" or "Learn to Speak French Fluently in Ten Days". As I stated before, this is all about image and, as you aptly write, mere gimmickry. We are told by the likes of Rush Limbaugh that Sarah Palin's nomination proves to everybody that women can "have it all." Now the right is acting like the left. Her ability to not only pursue a high-powered career but "juggle" raising a family of five ("and all at the same time!") proves how able and qualified she is to become vice-president and maybe even president! People don't even catch the irony in this, given the news of her teen daughter's pregnancy. Discernment really seems to be in short supply.

Experience? No, nor judgement, either.
Given that you already have a large family AND have reached age 43 AND are anti-abortion, why would you take the risk of another pregnancy? Very questionable judgement.
Doesn't abstinence work?

"Republicans were going to do for the "small town americans" she purports to represent? NOT A DOGGONE THING!"

She said she cancelled alot of useless projects and gave millions back to "small town america" I think it's you who needs to wake up. Obama will raise your taxes, that will not help anyone, unless you want a communist redistribution of wealth, Which I don't.

I find it humorous that people are ripping Palin on her experience when all they have is StyrObama. He looks good on the outside, but there is nothing of substance behind the facade, unless you need your community organized.

She is running for VP. A traditional role of the second person on the ticket is attack dog. Compare her speech to Biden, not Obama. The Dems the last few days seem to think running against Palin is a better approach, which is incredibly silly. After a long debate over who is more inexperienced, voters might suddenly remember McCain is leading the Republican ticket.

Reminds me of the first Reagan campaign when I hear questions about lack of substance or complaints about just reading from a teleprompter. If we have another great communicator who can connect with people, the country will be better off for it.

David Axelrod is an American political consultant based in Chicago, Illinois. He is best known as a top adviser to Barack Obama, first in Obama's 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate in Illinois and currently as chief strategist for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

As a person with no voting rights and limited spectator .. I dont know how people are able to be too biased and bash Palin. I personally dont know if she is qualified. But.....
Question for the people who call her unqualified to be president in a heart beat--- Is Obama who is vying for the presidency before that heartbeat.. Is he qualified ? 4 years in senate with two of those years spent in campaign enough experience ? Has he ever run or governed anything ? which had multiple departments, budgets, personalities, real people waiting for services etc ?
Running a campaign in which everything is stagemanaged with the help of super managers. Running a senator office of 10 people in which everyone is a yes person. etc..
NO RECORD Whatsoever... People that question Palin's qualifications should first look at Obama's qualifications. GOP is only nominating her for vice presidency. Dem's presidential candidate himself is shaky. He is super eloquent with teleprompter or memorized speeches... The moment you ask him to be spontaneous he stutters like he had fits. Look at his speeches and promises. If something is too good to be true.. think twice... Oh by the way, he became a senator when Jack Ryan withdrew.. He didnt really win that either...

Yes, Myriam. She had speech writers. But, of course, all the other pols write all their own material. Really. Honestly. And every single position of Obama's positions was crafted by him. Absolutely. Those dozens of advisors attached to his campaign, all those speechwriters are just there in case of emergency. Honestly.

Get real people. I know this is all stupid, partisan bickering - sling enough mud and some will stick - but lately some people seem to have gone off the deep end.

There will never be anything like "victory" in Iraq: not so long as there are followers of Islam who believe that the leaders are close to an all knowing deity. The Palin, and the Americans that follow her, believe that their belief in their deity gives them the moral right to impose "victory" over non-democratic states.

Palin is god crazy: because of her belief in god, she thinks that she knows the right ethic for everything.

David Axelrod is the speech writer for Barry Obama. Palin has one two. The difference is, is that one can organize a community, write some books, vote a vote of here but NO yay or nay and then you have the lovely Palin. Enough said.

Having never heard or seen Sarah Palin I thought she seemed like another Republican hater, do as I say not as I do type. Is this how one gets introduced to the lower 48. As most Americans thrive on shock and awe, reality tv type crap this seemed par for the course that some might get caught up in it but really "Where's the beef". How is this supposed to help me or my family. I didn't see any of that. I heard about how to make oil companies richer but I didn't hear about my rising insuance costs or how I'm going to get my daughter through college. Is this really what we have reduced ourselves to; whoever can spread hate and fear better wins?

Cute comment at the end. She did well (or her speech writer did) at having families fall for this heartfelt rant. However, I, as a woman, am not interested in having a gutsy soccer mom at the head of my country. What I am interested in are her political credentials....She left us hanging. I find it offensive that the RNC seems to believe that any intellegent woman would vote for a person with little experience. Hey. Sarah seems like a great girl, supermom, etc. She has my respect for that and other accomplishments as a woman. However. We are at an extremely crucial point that will require extensive experience.

Let's see, what have community organizers ever done?
Win the vote for women. Live and die to fight slavery, put an end to lynchings, change a segregated school system and win the voting rights act, fight environmental racism in which polluting plants were placed in low-income neighborhoods, keep farmers from losing their land; work to keep jobs from leaving the country, expose the high executive salaries and backroom deals that virtually erased pensions for people who'd worked all their lives (can we say Enron, Abramoff, Cheney, )
No thank you Sarah,
this community organizer calls upon all community organizers to organize their communities large and small to vote for Obama and true change.

Misrepresentation, which is what Palin was doing in her first public speech as Republican VP nominee, is a word.

Palin misrepresented her own record, she misrepresented the damage done by the party in power for the last eight years, she misrepresented what the opposing candidate has said about her and her family.

Misunderestimated is not a word, except maybe for those who support the real 'Washington Insiders' of the last eight disasterous years -the Bush flavor of Republicans and the religious right.

Palin is a skilled orator, but the "aw shucks" affectation was over done.

What the Nation needs now is wisdom, not empty reactionary denial, transparent attack and appeals to the continued dumbing down of America.

She did well on the speech but can she and the Republicans afford to mock and alienate the urban areas and big cities in this country. I mean really; mocking community work -- this offended me as an active person in my community. I was all for her but now I see a novice who may not understand the people who live in urban areas. Sad.

Far from being cute and adorable, the unfortunate shot of Piper spitting on her hand and wiping the baby's head reminded me of nothing so much as Paul Wolfowitz having his aide spit on his comb to slick his hair back. Repulsive.

This lady is Ann Coulter 2.0. Still vicious but a little trashier. Mayor of the meth capitol of Alaska. Prego teen daughter to be celebrated as all that is good about America.

I'm so over this crap about the middle class struggling, and the constant need for people to be told that the govt. will provide for you. Please clearly define for me who this middle class is you are speaking of Biden...

The idea of the American Dream is that this country is a place that provides you as an individual the ability to prosper if YOU put for the effort and show the initiative.

Most people struggling and getting houses forclosed on made bad choices, period. There are free seminars that teach the ins and outs of buying houses. You can find a wealth of free information online about what to do or not do it, and how to put together a proper budget. They made uninformed decisions and they screwed up. They lived beyond their means and accepted loans well above their heads, that if they had done some homework would have realized that they could not afford. The majority of the forclosures are not even primary residences, they are investment properties. Please wake up.

Economic globalization, unions pricing our workforce out of the market, baseless lawsuits with no caps, NAFTA, huge interest rate cuts at the end of the DotCom bubble to help stimulate a market are all hugely responsible for the current financial and housing situation we are in. None of this can be blamed on a specific person or political group. Again, wake up.

If you think increasing taxes on Corporate America rather than you directly is somehow not going to affect you, you are really clueless. Corporations' profit margins will remain unchanged either by them raising their prices for the end user or cutting your job to compensate for the tax hike.

Change is necessary, nobody will question that, but wreckless change because you have some misguided view of how the world should work vs. how it does work will only make things worse.

I really like Obama, and believe him to be a good person and an inspiring speaker. However, from where I sit, he is simply the guy at work who constantly complains about how screwed up the company is without providing feasible ways to fix it, and when given the authority will actually accomplish nothing.

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Mr Obama
Senator :
Job Description:
- Vote on bills
- Make speeches
Stop that after two years and campaign for presidency...
Never had to worry about
- Running an administration
- Multiple departments
- Security of subjects
- Economy of state
- People welfare
- Balancing budget
- No daily decision making on make or break issues
- Never signed a paper that had real accountability for the actions
- Never had to prepare strategy for a division, group, town, city, county, state, country

This is not belittle Senators. There is a difference between 2 years in Senate and 20 years in senate where you witnessed multiple administrations, issues, positions, policies, introduced tons of bills etc.....

JOE BIDEN IS MUCH MORE QUALIFIED FOR PRESIDENCY THAN OBAMA. SWICTH THE TICKET AND I WILL VOTE FOR BIDEN-OBAMA... err.. if I have a vote.

They must have spiked the drinking water at the RNC or something. She "speaks the language of small town America"? Yes, indeed -- she's instantly recognizable as the prim moralizing busybody who's on a mission to tell everyone else how they ought to lead their lives, and Get Right With God. I got news for you Mr. Lane -- small town people don't have any more use for sanctimony than big city folks. What matters is not how well she preaches to the choir, but how well she plays beyond the convention hall.

Electing someone like Palin who hasn't a clue about the major issues or the experience to jump from a 2 year Governor of a middle of nowhere state to the White House is a great example of why Republicans cannot be trusted choosing our leaders, just like they picked the biggest idiot ever Bush.

While she may look appealing to the republican faithful, as one of the few on the RNC stage under 50 years old, that appeal is superficial.

Last night's speech had to accomplish a single goal; Exonerate McCain for a hasty, ill-considered choice of a running mate.

She did that very well. She won over the republcan base. But the bar was set very low.

Her appeal will be fleeting. She is not representative of America, nor even of the "moms" she tried so hard to play to. In reality she is representative of a very narow political, social and world view. Her Rosanne Barr act will quickly wear thin.

Given McCain's age and medical history, we rightly have much to be concerned about.

So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .

Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks. :)

You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .

Thanks,
Anne

ABOUT SARAH PALIN

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.

She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.

She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She's smart.

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.

She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
*"Hockey mom": true for a few years
*"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
*"NRA supporter": absolutely true
*social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
*pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
*"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
*"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
*political maverick: not at all
*gutsy: absolutely!
*open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
*has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
*"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
*fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
*pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
*pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
*pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla's history.
*pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne, last name redacted

Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.

Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen
when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.

Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out
of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that's life.

Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's
attempt at censorship.

Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.

CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are
swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.

You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The
day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.

"... Sarah Palin delivered what may have been the most important speech ever by a vice presidential candidate and made it look like she'd been performing on the national political stage for years. And she made John McCain look good for having picked her as his running mate.

"Yet, as governor of Alaska, Palin had never addressed as large a crowd as she did last night at the Republican convention. She'd never before given a nationally televised speech in prime time. And she'd never had to deal with a situation filled with such political peril for her, McCain, and the Republican party.

"So how in the world could this 44-year-old woman with no national political experience handle the whole thing with poise and composure and seeming effortlessness? Simple. She's a natural, gifted with the ability to connect with people in a way that few politicians can and to perform under extreme pressure. She has star quality.

"Political figures like this don't come along very often. And heaven knows Republicans haven't seen anyone like Palin emerge from their ranks since Ronald Reagan first attracted national attention in 1964. That's a long time to wait. They've been starved for a leader with charisma and a knack for leadership. Now they have one."

Sorry not seeing the 'fab' speech the pundits saw. I do however think we got a taste of her future performance in the debates. She has no substance, and I suspect she will be on attack mode with attempts of character assassination, instead of actually debating. If she should dare to actually get down to the nitty-gritty with the issues, I hope Biden doesn't have the fear to eat her alive. It would be sexist for him to go easy on her.

Of course Republicans LOVE her, she embodies everything they want. But her values are not my values, and I am encouraged that nor are they the values of many more Americans...

It shouldn’t be a surprise or a shook to anyone; this is what you expect from the same aged politics.

Senator Hilary Clinton didn’t come to Washington with Miss Congeniality on her resume; she came with proposals and an agenda. She didn’t take the elevator to the penthouse to crack the “glass ceiling”, she climbed each step with determination, pain, and a commitment to change American possibilities. She didn’t get a pat on the back promotion to the top, she got there in a fair fight that at times was grueling and difficult…and you know what, I think she kinda wanted it that way. She will not make it into our history books as the first, fast track, overnight, success into the finish, but she carved a remarkable legacy from the starting line to the last stretch. And for that, I will always be proud of her achievements.

Senator Mcain still does not “get it”. This is not a popularity contest for homecoming king and queen. This is a Presidential Election for the United States of America . This isn’t about winning the election; it is about changing the future of a Powerful Nation.

First, Obama does NOT write his own speeches, neither does anyone else.

Second, she isn't mocking REAL community work, just "community organizing". You, know, another word for low-level political thuggery designed to intimidate - basically it's the bottom of sleazy Chicago politics. Please do not confuse the two.

Third, I am astounded at those who says Palin is too inexperienced for VP, but will vote for Obama for PRESIDENT.

Those of you harping over scripted speech of Palin. How about Obama's scripted speeches. If you believe that he writes his speeches himself then you are too naive to be discussing politics in this forum.

Obama's says his executive experience is running a big campaign. I get it, I'm qualified to be president because I'm running for president. Trust me, when you get that 3:00 am call, there is no present button on the night stand. We all want change, most of all the gov. to quit wasteful spending. Biden said america wants to know how their going to keep their home and take care of mom. Just leave me my money and get the hell out of my way. Sell the house you could not afford and quit looking to the gov. to hold out the bottle so you can suckle the rest of your life.

The whole Palin affair has been so predictable it is strange anybody to have seen it otherwise. Once McCain made the announcement, it was obvious which direction this would go. I don't think anyone underestimated her. There simply wasn't enough time. Political theater is part of the game and more so in today's media-crazed world where every detail is spliced and diced by countless so-called experts. As the saying has it: easy come, easy go.

Biden better give Kinnock a call right away, because he will need a good speech to reply to Palin. Palin did some "impaling" last night to be sure. More interesting than her quips, however, was her reference to another local politician with no national or international experience...a haberdasher from Missouri named Harry Truman. Seems old Harry did a pretty good job after FDR passed away.

Palin can give a speech, but, can she write one which is more important. Obama wrote his own speech as he does all of his major speeches. There in lies the question.

_______________________________

You are a crazy Kool-Aid drinker if you believe Obama, or any politician at that level, write their own speeches.

Obama has a heavy hand in what goes into his speeches, sure, but he has a team of speechwriters. Palin worked very closely with her speechwriter too. There is no distinction.

Actually, the only distinction is that when the teleprompter goes away and the scripted words aren't rolling in front of them, Sarah Palin can still speak intelligently, while Obama mumbles, stutters and coughs away so badly, he makes George W. Bush look downright eloquent.

the speech was horrible. she's a psycho
they were nasty negative, her and rudy showed themselves have cold misguided souls. though the media is trying, hard, to keep it a contest , the evil rebulicians/christain right are going to get beaten badly this election. badly.

"Let's see, what have community organizers ever done?
Win the vote for women. Live and die to fight slavery, put an end to lynchings, change a segregated school system and win the voting rights act, fight environmental racism in which polluting plants were placed in low-income neighborhoods, keep farmers from losing their land; work to keep jobs from leaving the country, expose the high executive salaries and backroom deals that virtually erased pensions for people who'd worked all their lives (can we say Enron, Abramoff, Cheney, "

Wow....I didn't realize that Barack had such a pedigree! I just told both my kids that they should be community organizers when they grow up.

Is there a "community organizer" major in college?

Oh....and let's not forget other important community organizers and their organizations: the German Socialist Party; the American Communist Party; the Weathermen; the Brigati Rossi; FALN; SDS...

Obama's says his executive experience is running a big campaign. I get it, I'm qualified to be president because I'm running for president. Trust me, when you get that 3:00 am call, there is no present button on the night stand. We all want change, most of all the gov. to quit wasteful spending. Biden said america wants to know how their going to keep their home and take care of mom. Just leave me my money and get the hell out of my way. Sell the house you could not afford and quit looking to the gov. to hold out the bottle so you can suckle the rest of your life.

Palin kicked but last night - a pit bull with lipstick, high heels and a smile. I love it. The fight is on. Politics is the only blood sport left. Say whatever you want, this will not be a boring election cycle.

We all underestimated her. In my own case, I'm ashamed to say, that was the result of being a long-time Democrat. I very strongly disagree with some of Palin's policy position, particularly with respect to oil production and gun control (for cities, at least), but I am pro-life, and I'm from a small (conservative) town which I love, and I greatly appreciate seeing a strong woman defend pro-life positions and small town America from "big city" folks (which I've become).

When Palin related Iraq war to God, that when I shut off the TV. The last thing I need is another right wing nut job in office. Keep religion out of politics. Our democartic system is being ruined by religion. Obama all the way!!!

Palin's speech effectively conveyed her points: that she wants to do exactly what McCain has been asking us to do for the past couple of months. We have been resisting up until now. If you take a turd and put a pretty bow on it, is it no longer a turd?

It's laughable. Those of you who would blindly defend Palin provide as much substance to your argument as she did to her policy proposals: none. I watched the speech twice last night, I was impressed, and I was hurt. Her speech, whether she wrote it or not, contained no trace of actual job awareness or policy. Instead, she acted as a female battering ram for the Republican party to bash Obama. Come on republicans, who I am still proud to call fellow Americans, don't you see that your party is making a mockery of this woman? They're going to scapegoat her and blame her "baggage" as the reason they lose this election...because they will lose. Palin is becoming the martyr for the red party, a bulldog with lipstick, a sock puppet for the media to own. And with this 'spectacle', the Republican party will succeed this election year; not in winning, but in disenfranchising woman who run for office. Any woman who votes for Palin should seriously consider what she stands for in the bigger picture. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will win every debate against the Republican duo, and then they will take the White House, and welcome McCain, Palin, and the rest of you into their circle because, unlike the Republican party, Democrats are ALWAYS seeking to reach across party lines, to advance not just their own interests but the country's interests, and to help others see how good it can feel to work with others, strangers, different people from different backgrounds to get things done. The demographic make-up of the Republican National Convention made it look like it was filmed 60 years ago; a smallish group of pissed off whites pumping their fists for a candidate they don't understand, but want nonetheless.

Yes, beware of a party with no ideas. Just smear and innuendo. But more importantly, beware of a media that is always willing to openly admire the emporer's new clothes. Especially when it helps the corporation.

Many are looking at the Republicans
and thinking "This is just satire, right? This is just a harsh comedy
about how American politics has degenerated into something like a
professional wrestling match, right? Tell me this is just a 'Colbert
Report' special making fun of trailer park cretins!"

Lane, it is people like you who have gotten us into the trouble we're currently in. They vote with their emotions instead of their brains. Palin, like Bush, is a good "dummy." She can mouth the words that the Schmidts and Chaneys put in there. Wonderful. So, let's see now, the road to the White House is: come from a small town, kill and gut a moose, join the PTA, give birth to five kids, be competitive when you play basketball, be absolutist when you weigh a woman's choice (she has none), be able to read a teleprompter without making too many mistakes (George W. can't even do that, yet), and disparage someone who has more class in his little finger than one has in his/her whole body. Yep, she passes muster. As usual, the Republicans are going to try to make this an election "about little things" - little stupid things. The one thing these politicians can't buy is our vote. Yet, we give it away so cheaply sometimes. Shame on us, if we do it again.

Some of you clearly weren't listening to the Sarah Palin speech I heard last night, but that's cognitive dissonance for you. Go back to sleep.

This woman is electrifying, strong, smart, and has a sense of humor.

What's NOT being mentioned in the press is that NONE of the GOP speakers last night gave the slightest impression that Mcain/Palin are running on the Bush/Cheney bandwagon. That's sound strategy, given the last 8 years. But I also suspect there's principle involved.

This Brawndo-chugging idiot is for real. He represents how millions of intellectually challenged, humaniform chimps and baboons view the political process. To them, this is just a natural extension of the elementary schoolyard dominance games, where the loudmouth who can yell "Fag!" at his opponent the loudest is the winner.

Talking with passion with spirit is fine, but as vice president or someone in charge she has to show what her plan is, and more importantly, how she planning to do it! if only talking spirit for the comfort of ears? I'd say she is just another Bush!

First, I get the joke using GW's "misunderestimated" non-word. Surprised others didn't.

Second, I agree with your analysis. Barack/Biden have a fight on their hands. My own opinion is that John McCain's strategy seemed to have been to get more than just a token female -- he wanted Hillary Clinton, or at least a stand-in who could recite chapter and verse from the Hillary Playbook and attack Obama on every point she effectively made in the primary season. I always believed that by crossing certain lines, Hillary was giving huge stockpiles of ammo to the Republicans that would come back to haunt the Democrats. McCain's camp cleverly figured out they could use all that material, but only effectively if they had a female capable of delivering it. The first few salvos have hit their target and it's just begun.

I expected better of you. That you didn't see this for exactly what it was is quite disturbing. That you didn't call her on any of the bald-faced lies, particularly that tired old bridge to nowhere line, is ridiculous and an abandonment of your duties. Perhaps if it were Stephen Glass up there slamming away on points that were absurd on their face you would have taken a closer look. As it stands, you and the people who keep parroting that (also untrue) two memoir/zero legislation nonsense are exactly the sort of people to whom the Republicans pander. Well done at relieving yourself of any indication you're willing to think for yourself.

I like Sarah Palin, but what do we do with Machine-Gun McCain ? He can't cut his ties to Bush & this is from the same person who a few years earlier had said as a prisoner of war in Vietnam how secure he felt knowing Bush was protecting the Texas Coast. He also blasted Jerry Farewell & now he chases after the Christian far right kooks. What happened to the other guy ?

First, there are the secretive and cynical Karl Rove style New World
Order types. They are trying to rearrange the global socio-political
order to give themselves absolute power. They are fascists,
essentially. They are powerful, intelligent and motivated and will do
ANYTHING to achieve their goals. Fortunately, there is not very many
of them.

Second are the evangelicals. These are the folks who yearn for the
simpler days when church and state were one and morality was
legislated. They have fought progressive change since the
Enlightenment because each change shifts more responsibility for
personal behavior and thinking from orthodox institutions onto the
individual. The evangelicals throw their lot in with the Rovian NWO types because the Rovians are more than happy to lay down the law on the masses (not themselves, of course...Rovians are above the masses)and establish the rigid social structure and draconian moral codes
that would give the evangelicals the warm and fuzzy security and freedom from choice that they crave.

Palin's speech and its impact on the reawakened right will not be fully felt by the Dems / liberal media until November. Biden likely has the wisdom to realize what just happened. Other less experienced liberals continue to celebrate her inexperience as a final spike in McCain. Well Biden may be thinking like Yamamoto in his famous statement to his overly optimistic Captain (post Pearl): "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve".

And if that is what Biden's personal thoughts are, he would be correct.

"After three days of absorbing more national media scrutiny -- fair and unfair -- than she'd ever faced before, Palin came out and delivered her acceptance speech with confidence, energy and wit."

Were we watching the same "speech" last night? She prattled on and on (and on...) about her family, about her oh-so-extensive experience, and then delivered the all-too-cute-and-clever one-liners the speech writers laid out for her. And didn't deliver them well, but then, the immediate audience (the attendees of the RNC, who would have been at home in the Roman Colosseum based upon the way some of them carried on during the, uh, verbalization) isn't really known for its ability to comprehend subtlety, nuance or style. Witness the witless last eight years.

But excuse me, THREE DAYS OF NATIONAL MEDIA SCRUTINY -- FAIR AND UNFAIR?!?!? Poor Gov. Palin needs a rest from all the nasty pundits and reporters and others who want to know exactly who she is and what she believes and if she is capable of running the country if McCain can't. What "national media scrutiny" strikes you as "unfair?" We've just ended a year-and-a-half-long Presidential primary process in which we've seen more than a dozen Presidential wannabes parade themselves in "debates" and advertisements, on the evening news and the Sunday morning talk shows. THEY'RE the ones who have undergone the "national media scrutiny" to the point where I'm sick of their names, their faces, their voices and their voting records. Sarah Palin hasn't even BEGUN to undergo any scrutiny, fair, unfair or otherwise.

And if the Republicans are selling her brand based on her brood, they're in for "national media scrutiny" as well. You can't put up a target and not expect someone to take aim at it.

McCain and Palin? A landslide? Think in the long-term. We've had this woman on the radar for less than a week. She's under an ethics investigation by her own Republican state legislature. If she has more "executive experience" than Obama, then she also has more executive experience than John McCain. Republicans are being too kind to this nominee and as a Republican, I believe this severely weakens the ticket in the long-term. I would have much rather seen Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee selected, although the alleged Marsha Blackburn Sex Tape might have given the liberal media more of what they wanted. Still...stop drinking the Kool-Aid. Palin read a speech of a teleprompter. Most of it was written by the Bush speechwriters weeks ago and retooled a couple of nights ago to suit Palin's story. You're falling into the same trap liberals fell into with Obama. She's just another GWB-style Republican who wants the government in the business of nation-building, in our bedrooms, and favors amnesty of illegal immigrants.

Folks need to pay attention to comments from people like mike (9/4 1:26pm) above. This is just the biggoted, divisive type of diatribe we can expect from Ms Palin. I think we've had enough of this in our country. Well, I hope we have anyway.

Third and last are those like mike above, who view political struggle in EXACTLY the same way, and with the same intellectual depth and deliberation, that a dog views a fight among alpha dogs for leadership of the pack. This view incorporates the childhood playground confrontation in its entirety, which is an archetypal struggle between the "Tough Guy" and the "Fag". "Fag", in this context, is only peripherally related to sexual preference, as mike himself may be a man that has strong sexual reactions to
other men, but since he is teamed with the "Tough Guy", he can't be a
"Fag". The "Fag" has many characteristics. He constructs arguments containing two or more logically linked propositions (In other words, arguments that the "Tough Guy" can't follow). The "Fag" has a large
vocabulary, including many words that the "Tough Guy" doesn't understand. The "Fag" avoids violence and prefers constructive
pursuits. The tough guy is the quintessential school yard bully. He dominates through threats, insults and raw animalistic aggression. Taunts and name-calling are his stock in trade. The insults need not be accurate, only dramatic (witness that the tough guy invariably calls his opponent a "fag").

One more thing: I got into a friendly mini-debate last night at a hotel with another gentleman about the Republican ticket, the election as a whole, McCain's health, etc. We sparred back and forth, and perhaps not surprisingly, he found a lack of true substance in anything he said. He just kept pointing to the TV airing Palin's speech and kept saying, "THAT'S who our next vice president should be, right next to McCain." And no matter how much I pushed him to give me a viable reason to change my mind, he had nothing to offer. The conversation ended with him insulting my education (political science degree from University of California), and when I asked him where he had received HIS education..."America, and I would rather vote for that women than a bl...than some Obama!"

If that's the way the rest of you Republicans secretly feel, and only an argument with a Democrat can get you to come out with it, like they did in Tennessee and West Virginia...you are going to lose more than this election. This country was BUILT on other colors, nationalities, ethnicity, and languages besides white english speaking people's, and it will continue to thrive ONLY by loving your fellow American's no matter how they look, how they sound, where they were educated (if at all), and by working together.

The divisiveness that McCain and Palin are trying to convince you all of is below you. This election is not about partisan allegiance, it is about loving your country and EVERYONE who makes it great. Right now, Barack Obama is what makes this country great. He is the inspiration this country needs to get back on its feet.

Hey "AGC"; keep whistling past that graveyard. The Dems will win both debates? We've already seen how well the empty suit doofus Obama does in a debate with McCain. Get him away from a teleprompter and his speechwriters and it's "humna-humna time". Can't wait to watch Sarah eat Joe's lunch. So much for the debates.

Obama/Biden? Change? A no talent tool who is no more than a product of the sleazy Chicago democrat machine and a 30 year incumbant...yeah, that's real change. Just what we need; more of the same.

Hang with 'em, AGC. See if you can look in the mirror and say "No. Seriously. Barach is really presidential material" without bursting out laughing. I've tried it a couple of times. No luck. Enjoy the next 60 days. It's over for Barry after that.

Wow, everyone who criticizes Palin because she can "read a good speech"...are you serious? If you really think Obama is writing all of his speeches himself, you are crazy. For someone that is supposedly such an elogant speech writer, he sure struggles talking when he doesn't have a teleprompter in front of him.

Here's the problem with the political dialog today...and the problem is ignorant rightwingers.

Obama's plan for careful diplomacy, alliance building and intelligent global political maneuvering is seen as weak and ineffective...in fact, anything short
of blunt threats of violence or attacks is "appeasement"; the policy of the "Fag". mike and the millions of shallow individuals like him 'know' that their champion will win the fight... I mean
debate.. and 'terminate' her opponent? How do they know? Because her opponent is a "Fag". He will make long, boring and complicated faggy arguments that those on the Tough Guy's side won't even bother trying to understand. Tough Guy's champion, on the other hand, will make some
empty and undefended comments that resolve, in content, to accusations of "Fag!", whereupon rightwingers will crow "Win!".

Enough of the comments about Sarah reading a speech. Obama reads his speeches prepared by someone else. Biden doesn't write his own speeches..Hillary...not writing speeches either. Find a new band wagon to jump on. Sarah clinched my vote for the GOP and my desire to volunteer to make this happen. For those of you who would rather be Red then Dead...good luck to ya.

Sarah Palin did a great job! She spoke like a real American, down to earth, and to the point. She isn't trying to portray herself as some "god" who is here to save the earth. She is a normal everyday citizen who "works" for the people of Alaska and I am certain she will work for the entire country when this election is over. She isn't afraid of the biased, sexist media and she obviously has enough common sense to see through the "Snake Oil Salesman" (aka Obama). Go Sarah !!!

I am a Republican but this Republican ticket has just gone further south with her onboard. Palin...what a big mistake! Regarding her speech, she might as well have held up high a paper copy of her speech and read to the crowd. Awful!

I only heard from Sarah Palin's voice last night negative partisan attacks. There was no substance there was no vision of where she thinks the country should go. If her best example of being a reformer is selling the state's plane on e-Bay that's not my definition of reform!!

Napalmgod- Uhhhh. Bush is notorious for being a lousy speaker and not having much personality. What are you talking about? The last 8 years based on what superficial abilities? As far as I can tell, Bush doesn't have what you are calling "superficial abilities". What he did have was a recognizable brand in the name Bush (and good timing with the religious right beginning to feel a bit persecuted by the lunatic fringe of liberals taking down monuments and banning the word "God" from every possible public situation) And the writers play on the word is actually a little clever. The article makes it plain that he is saying that he both misunderstood ("the whole bunch is going to raise...") Palin and underestimated her.

I was surprised to hear how squaky and small her voice was, considering the large body size. It was the first time I heard her talk and maybe I was expecting a big, deep voice, something like a female version of Obama's, so when she opened her mouth, I had to smile at myself at this pipping voice that was betraying her body size. Comical, just like her speech.

It was clear that she did not write most of what she was reading. This was particularly obvious when it came to the policy issues, which unfortunately were few and far between. Many assertions were outrights lies especially regarding her record (bridge to nowhere, fiscal responsibility)

I will admit that the McCain campaign did an excellent job aggressively accusing the media of sexism and elitism such that the media was on the defensive and could not help but fawn over this speech to counter such charges (Hilary Clinton used this press whining strategy to great effect).

Gov palin has a great family and a compelling life story, but I could not believe my ears when the pundits started weighing in after the speech. The speech was very poorly delivered and short on substance. Even the convention audience only came alive when she attacked Obama ond not for any brilliant policy ideas or proposals.

Palin is nothing more than a carbon copy of Hillary Clinton prepared with the necessary sauces for the Republican Party: pasty white, no supposed ties to Washington, professes but does not practice "family values", has a high powered/high paid attorney to protect her image and she has Tina Fey glasses. Whoops, her daughter is pregnant out of wedlock...maybe she's no Hillary after all. Republicans are never original, but they sure are amusing.

i think it is very funny to listen to Mccain supporters act like they've know Sarah palin for years, and to not talk about the pregnant daughter...jeez, why don't you guys talk about something else? oh, wait...there isn't anything else to talk about...

I believe that it was God's plan to send Eve Plain to be by the side of Adam McCain to play only a vice role. Yesterday, Eve Plain unveiled the naked truth about a top Republican woman in national politics. Her first task: Reading the speech, word for word, that was written by Republican men.

Sarah Palin's speech was good and the Obama fans that say otherwise say so because they must have been watching it just to be able to curse it. Obama fans are hard to talk to because they are so passionate. Passion is good and may even be well deserved but the result of so much passion is that it causes people to become closed minded, angry, and sometimes less than logical. Obama's greatness has been created by his speaking ablity, his life story as told in his books, and his idealistic issues. Palin has a simliar combo and any attack on McCain supports for buying into that should cause Obama supporters to think about why they really love Obama. McCain choose someone just like Obama but on the other side of the issues. The "historic vote" angle is just one way they are similar, they are similar are so many other levels. McCain is supported for very different reasons than Palin or Obama. McCain is supported for his bravery, ability to debate the issues, independence, and his experience.

I'm not trying to say that McCain would make a better president because of his appeal but how anyone can slam Palin for her speech and praise Obama's preacher like style is absurd.

Palin's speech was nothing more than a mean spirited sound off that meant nothing to our country. She is a new executive to one of the smallest populations in the United States. She did not address that she cut programs to assist pregnant teens and does not support sex education in schools (much less in her own home). She cannot make enough time to raise her own family properly or give needed care to her special needs baby if she is involved in the role McCain poorly drafted her for (much less when McCain strokes out in 2 years). Everything about her is empty and fake and her speech showed that. Palin is Harriet Meyers meets Tammy Faye Baker... America deserves better.

Many think because we tightened up airport security, we solved the 911 problem. If someone stabs another, NEWSFLASH, the knife wasn't the problem. Can't you see the times we live in. Iran, Pakistan, Afganistan, N. Korea, and now Russia raising it's head. You can't negotiate with insanity. You can try, but you better be holding a club.

I'm a soccer mom, vote for me for vice president. I don't have a pregnant teen daughter and i believe in sending my sons to college before i sent him to war. George Bush likes to hunt just like Sarah Palin, and together they have the combined iq of 50. maybe they can just hang out at his ranch and feel powerful because they can kill innocent animals who can't use a gun, but keep her out of the white house!! Please. we can't afford anymore elitist IDIOTS in the white house.

Didn’t find bit of plan or substance from any of the RNC speakers (but for Hukabee’s earn your desk story). It wasn’t about the American people it was for most part about Obama and Biden. Was there a plan on economy? No. Was there a plan on education? No. Was there a plan on wars? There was one…if elected may be let’s send our troops to Georgia. Was there a plan on energy? There was one….drill baby drill…For that matter Democrats at least knew what people’s issues are. As all politicians say people are smarter then their opponents…people got to get smarter.

Many of the above comments are simply hate speech, typical of those who can't tolerate anyone not agreeing with their political views, usually liberal or socialistic.
Gov. Palin gave a good speech, well delivered and with grace and humor.
Obama uses a prompter with all his great speechs, but is usually at loss for words when expected to give a spontaneous comment.

The speech was okay to me. I didn't feel inspired. She will probably be a better V.P. than Dick Cheney-Is he in the bunker?
If they can do several commercials of Gov. Palin with the AK-47 and keep Cool hand McCain off the tube the ticket stands a chance.

AGC lives in a parallel universe, apparently. Thinking so turgid and rife with paranoia is hard to follow. And you humorless libs never got the humor in Lane's reference to Bush's original gaffe 'misunderestimated'. You just thought Lane made a grammatical mistake. What dunces you are...you never get it when you're mocked. And one more thing: Palin's teleprompter failed halfway through her speech, yet she kept going. Unlike uh uh uh uh ah ah uh Obama, who has gotten lost with a similar malfunction. Here's the takaway from all this. All politicians have speechwriters...the question is whether the 'voice' is authentic. Palin is very real. Far more convincing than Pulic Nuance #1.

Note to Lane: Sophmoric sarcasm does not equal "wit". Confidence- can't argue that's lacking. In fact that's got to be the biggest understatement of the campaign. I'd call her demeanor downright cocky. Apparently her experience in the present day Alaskan land of oil and dollars aplenty has filled her with hubris. As for substance- hard to discern any from her speech once you got past all the moxie and malice.

I think she did a fine job delivering that speech last night. I have every respect for Palin, and I know that a lot of the silly, sniping things she said were handed to her in a pre-packaged speech, so I don't even count that against her. From the sound of it, she's an excellent governor and the people she governs are almost completely satisfied with her, which is saying a lot.

I don't have any problem with her family situation, either. Frankly, it's none of my business, and it's none of your business either.

The bottom line is that she should not be the President of the United States, and there is a very real chance that may happen in the next four years. This is the *only* function of the Vice President short of breaking ties in the Senate and pulling funeral duty around the world. The VP sits in wait to step up if something happens to the President. I think this is why she is on record as asking exactly what it is the VP really does, which incidentally is a question I respect. But despite having a lot of respect for her, I just don't think Sarah Palin is up for the Presidency should it become necessary, and you honestly shouldn't either.

And it's not because she's a woman -- I'm happy to see a female president or a president of *any* race. As long as it's the right person for the job, I couldn't care two bits for their race, gender, or party. It's because she has less than two years of experience as a governor and practically zero political experience prior to that. She has no foreign policy experience at a time when foreign policy should be a huge concern for all Americans. I know a lot of people who want to yell and scream and say 'she lives close to Russia' or make statements like 'she has more leadership experience in her little pinky than Obama'. These are nice things to say, but there is no credible backing to any of it. If you compare their credentials, this is extremely and embarrassingly obvious. If you compare her credentials to Obama's VP pick, it is even more embarrassingly obvious (Biden is the Chairmain of the Foreign Relations Committee for crying out loud).

Let's be honest, the presidential race is maybe 1% about Vice Presidents and 99% about the top of the ticket. But McCain's age and health concerns make his VP pick a little more important than usual. The fact that McCain has chosen somebody who is very likely unready to assume the helm in the event that something happens to him is a significant concern. It is a good way to win votes, but it is not a good decision as the prospective leader of the country. I think even McCain himself knows this, but the realities of campaigning have forced him into this position.

Bottom line -- I can't say anything truly bad about Sarah Palin the governor or the hockey mom (even though I personally disagree with her on several issues), but on the only issue that matters, which is her readiness to be the President of the United States, we should all know that the qualifications simply aren't there.

What a laugh you left wing liberals are. Your boy Obama does not, I repeat, does not write his own speeches.Without a teleprompter, he sounds like he needs to eat a box of cough drops, with eh,ah,eh,aah,oh, but, but ,but. Give me a break.This small time rhetoric, spewing, cheap suit,community organizer, what ever that is, is about as competent to be president as I am. Palin makes him look like an amateur, when it comes to experience.My own definition of community organizer,is Sharpton and Jackson organizing people to riot in the streets.Add them to the list of Wright, Ayers, Rezco,Phlegher, Farakan,etc, and thats what I call a whole bunch of community organizers.Wow!!!!!!!

OH IT'S ON....
I loove the people who claim that she did nothing but insult and smear...HELLO...she was viscously attacked by the leftist media for a week straight, she kept quiet until last night ..and BAM...she delivered a TKO! Go Sarah! You will make one heck of a VP. HOME RUN MCCAIN

Hey Stephen: Are you the idiot that accosted me at the circus, stating that all the noise and commotion was harmful to my four kids, and thus child abuse? Probably not. But, I have to say that I'm surprised how many idiots there are around telling other parents how to raise their kids.

Palin's got the real energy in this election. She's been there, seen it, and, according to her, there's lots of it. If she can deliver, she's my VP all the way. Palin v. Putin...no question...Palin in the first round by submission.

She showed she could be a great attack dog. Unfortunately, this was her introduction to the country - shouldn't she have given us a little more answers about how her road to the VP is one of the most meteoric rises in our history?

I guess the Republicans couldn't wait to start attacking Obama, but I think they should have had America meet a VP candidate and learn she could handle the job before sending her on the attack. Imagine how much more powerful it would have been to meet the "nice" Palin and then send the "mean" Palin out on the campaign trail without millions of people watching.

Their risk is that she could be perceived as Wonder Woman or can be seen as a nasty b***h. And that's a character framing you really don't want straight from the beginning. It'll be interesting to see how American polls treat her in the next week. I know some people who loved her and others who found her completely over the top in a b***hy manner.

Obama writes all of his own speeches, right? Get past the talking points. Stick to your own creative comments like McCain having a stroke in two years, and that snappy zinger about her voice. Brilliant work.

You dems are in serious panic mode. You've been exposed as the phony hypocrites you are and your candidates exposed as nothing more than all talk hacks.

You are always looking for a free lunch from the nanny state and I have great news for you; the G.O.P. has prepared a big old juicy turdburger for each of you to chow down on, come November. Enjoy.

Unlike all of the rest of you people posting here I will give my full name because I am not afraid of any one hearing my view. As for a previous posting that said she said nothing about doing anything for small town America I don't believe that is her resposiblity. Yes I am a registered Republican by I don't always vote my party line. I have listened to all of the candidates speeches, and quit frankly in Obama's speech he said I'm going to do this and I'm going to do that for a good share of his speech, but only spent a couple of paragraphs on how he is going to pay for it. And it sounded to me like was going to take from my employer and my retirement investments and my possible inheritance and possible capital gains.And the give it to the generations of dead beat of welfare recipients. Sorry I don't think so, not my 80 hours a week earnings. And if he takes it from my employer in the form of mote taxes where do think they are going to make up that difference , it sure won't be in my pocket in the form of a raise. News flash Mr Obama you can't do all of those things by yourself, you have to convince at 535 other people in Washington that they are the right thins to do. Thank God For That.Believe me with Obama as President and a Democrat held Congress, and two or three liberal Supreme Court appointees our Constitution will be unrecognizable as ti is today. Oh by the way Mr Obama how do you earn over $4 million dollars in 143 days with no owned business on a Senators salary? Just wondering. P.S. I am one of those people that clings to his religion and guns from as small packing house town in Nebraska with an immigration problem.

Am I missing something here? AGC claims that Obama makes this country great. Does he not realize that increased taxes, surrender to Islamic Jihad, deconstruction of US Military defenses, and a drift toward a one party Washington are all bad for the USA?

Obama does not make us great. WE, the citizens of the USA make the USA Great. His private interpretation of US history as stated is partially accurate but he did not mention that the early Americans were for the most part of European origin, and even though there were large enclaves of ethnic populations they all pulled FOR the USA, unlike Obama, who has repeatedly cited preferences for EU policy and lifestyle while denigrating US tradition and our citizens.

John McCain has demonstrated cross - party negotiation and cooperation unlike any other candidate. Obama is not a uniter like McCain but a deceiver. His policies align him with the avowed enemies of the USA. He has no respect for the US Constitution and does not believe in the sovereignty of the USA. Any search of youtube can dig up bunches of videos of him denigrating the USA.

Oh... and Governor Palin will kick Joe Biden's youknowwhat in any venue on any topic with any weapon of choice.

Re Palin: The Dems are scared sh!tless.
How do I know? Because of the sewage they
are speying in all directions! They do not
know what to do-- so they are pitching every
imaginable rumor and negative spin hoping
that some will stick to their opponents.
Their attack is unfocused. If they do not
win the debates, they will lose the election.

Palin looks like Tina Fey if no one has noticed, her speech reminded me of an awful SNL sketch.
Maybe Joe Lieman will accompany her during the campaign to coach her on foreign policy like he does with McSame.

I think it was a great speech. I was never really sold on McCain, but now I see what he is about. He really does want to make changes in Washington. Palin had a great remark about how Senator Obama uses change to further his career and Senator McCain uses his career to make meaningful changes in the lives of Americans. Senator McCain's selection of Governor Palin is a breath of fresh air to politics has a whole.

Do you fools realize every time you say Palin's only success Wednesday was her "ability to read a speech," you're smacking your very own "chosen one" right in the mouth? Complete idiots. It's truly amazing.

--- we won't give Sarah Palin any opportunities to show she is an EXTRAordinary speaker.

--- we will let you vette our speeches, to make sure we are talking about the issues you want us talk about.

--- we will not talk about community organizing.

--- we will not laugh at community organizing.

--- we will not ask independents to look at Obama's pathetic lack of legislation at the federal level, or his 130 present votes at the state level.

We see the error of our ways, and realize that America would have been better off with a President McGovern, a President Mondale, a President Dukakis (*uproarious laughter explodes*), and a President Kerry.

We acknowledge that both President Jimmy Carter and President Slick Willy both conducted admirably the affairs of state ... and, of course, personal affairs, as well.

I think the media coverage has been very sexist overall and I think many should be ashamed of themslves for their treatment of Governor Palin in the press. The Democrats are trying to set women's suffrage back 80 years and keep Senator Clinton or any woman from ever holding a seat in the White House. Senator Clinton was sabotaged by her own party.

I wondered why Gov. Palin was squinting so much and looked bewildered, the old teleprompter was out, or everyone passing her baby around was causing a distraction.
I'm sure McCain's speech will be inspiring tonight, I support the troops, POW's unite, USA USA, zzzzzzZZ

All this foolishness and fawning over Palin for her "performance" of reading a speach others wrote. Shouldn't the real question be what will McCain and Palin do if they get into office and not how they perform before a stacked audience of supporters. And in the end she and McCain will keep the country on the same course it has been on for the last 8 years. Now partisianship aside there is just no way the country is better off now than it was 8 years ago. So if you want more squandering of the country's blood and wealth McCain and Palin are the candidates to vote for.

And by the way as with most of what was said at the rep convention, the allegation that Obama authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform is simply not accurate although compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation. (from the AP)

I got so anxious reading news sites about Palin's speech that I had to come to a comment blog to see if I was the only one who found Sarah's "performance" mean, spiteful, disrespectful and nasty -- thankfully, I read that others felt this, as well. If she were truly a maverick, she wouldn't have accepted all that negative and untruthful rhetoric from the company-line speech writers!! She would have stood up and said, "let's have more hockey mom and less pit bull!!" The switch from the gee, shucks country girl persona to the extreme nastiness really put me off and felt incredibly fake to me. As a forensics coach, she wouldn't have won any round of Oratory if I were judging! Her tone was high and nasal, her pacing was atrocious and the entire mean-spirited last half was NOT helpful, informative, or constructive in any way. Re: the realities of any reported teleprompter glitches on either side, only she & Barack truly know what they did or didn't see, huh? We'll see who truly knows their stuff when it's actual debate time, I think. Although having a tongue-tied, stumbling, word-inventing candidate somehow win over the American voters has happened twice in recent elections, so that's no proof of much!! I was pretty pumped to listen with open ears and see who this unheard of woman truly is, but I was very disappointed.

"But all those who doubt her political talent, her potential for connecting with working-class voters, or her ability generally to take the heat of the next two months, must now leave the room"

No one doubted her political talent,she has been very manipulative and that is attested to by her success from a small town.No one doubted her ability to take the heat,it is more a question of how much heat she would spew being a seasoned ploitician in the mould of Karl Rove.She can coonect to the religious right wing,but connecting to the working class?Either Mr.Lane is taking the working class to be dumb or being a sycophant of Ms Palin.Did her speech offer any policy issue which will make her appeal to the working class who have been reeling under the declining economy? Please do not belittle the working class,they are bitter that they have been ignored and times have changed.People are looking for solutions for their day today problems.Days where people can be divided by ideology are gone.It is a new era ,thanks to the Bush and the rest of the republicans,people have an awakening.They are too smart to fall a prey to division.They are looking for a vision.That is why Obama is going to win in a landslide.

Nice commentary R Davis. The liberal media is freaking out right now because they discounted McCain's political savvy with this pick. Scared people make poor decisions. The praise Obama gets in USA Today and NBC, the Post, etc is going to start to backfire. They are scared b/c they discounted Bush twice and they know McCain is more appealing to center. With Palin and her oil reserves ready to start pumping, all the liberal money pooring into the media right now might produce same poor returns as Kerry and Gore.

Middle class American well paid techie programmer trouble-shooter, served in the military with distinction. Godfather was classmate of McCain's at the United States Naval Academy, close family friend was commander of McCain's plebe year class.

Brought up republican, have since gone totally middle of the road and try to live by 'Pick the person, not the party." I vote on both sides of the party line based on what I have learned from my research, not what I have heard from the media.

That being stated means I am an open target to the extreme left and right. So when in a no win situation, I am inclined to sit back and enjoy the ride. So let's get started. Today let us talk about our Vice President Nominee for the Republican ticket. Otherwise know as the Place Holder.

I have a pool going at work, at the bar, and at the local Renaissance Festival that Sarah Palin will drop out of the race in 28 days or less, the deciding time being before the VP debates. Why do I think this? Because right now I find more local republican's upset with her as the VP nominee than I do local democrats. And in watching Bill O'Reilly last night I find it rather amusing at how many Republicans he spoke with dodged around answering his question on how they felt about Sarah Palin. It was humorous how they would do the “Look! Bright shiny thing!” and turn the answer into a statement on how the democrats were unfairly attacking Governor Palin’s family values. And not a single one ever voiced their opinion on the VP nominee for the Republican Party.

Listen to the news, read the blogs. There are many valid reasons for John McCain to have chosen such a contentious candidate; he is not planning on her staying for long. There are many reasons she could speak so big and bold at the RNC last night (09/03.) She will not have to worry about maintaining that front for long.

In short, Sarah Palin is a place holder. A “bright shiny thing” to distract and draw fire and to make everyone who opposes her look bad. For shame on anyone who attacks this hard working mother of five. One a soldier, another an infant with a terrible a malady, and yet another who has made a terrible mistake but will be doing the right thing. All fantastic fodder for the media machine. Get it while you can, she will not be around long. At least not in the role of VP nominee.

I may be wrong, but I have a lot of money riding on the fact that in a few short weeks, Sarah Palin will step up to the microphone and step down from the position of the VP nominee. It may be because her young son, three month old Trig needs his mother’s time. Maybe it is because her 17 year old daughter will need her mother during this very trying time of teen pregnancy. It may even be that as a good woman of strong family values, her family is more important than the position as Vice President of the United States. It might be a combo of all three, which still would not have stopped her from being an excellent VP, but the constant attacks of the press have just worn her down, (Bad Media, go lie by your dish!!) and this good family woman just needs to have priorities.

Boy oh boy. Governor Palin stepping down is sure going to put presidential nominee John McCain in a tight spot. He is going to need a new running mate, stat!! And I suspect Senator McCain will step up to the plate with a rapid replacement. It may not be some one he would have chosen originally, he/she may not be what the party wanted. But time is short, and this person is a damned good option at the last minute.

I am putting my money on Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. You know, that independent politician who has plenty of experience. He was incredibly supportive of John McCain at the convention a few days ago. Heck, he even has experience running for Vice President of the United States. He did it in 2000 on the democratic ticket, and we all know how close that election was.

So if it is Senator Joe Lieberman, the detractors of the republican ticket can no longer play the ‘lack of experience’ card on the VP nominee. Not only that, Senator Joe will likely carry a lot more of the undecided democrat votes with him than a little known Governor of a sparsely populated state.

I could go on, but why? My point has been made and I have work to do. In the end I honestly feel Sarah Palin is nothing more than a place holder, soon to be replaced. Most likely just before the VP debates, and then Joe L. will sweep in at the last minute, step up to the plate at the debates and give Joe B. a good run for the money. He will definitely give the republican ticket a better chance in the election.

Please note I have not bashed any of the candidates, this laborious posting is only to share with the world something that is obvious to me. (OK, Lieberman is not a certainty, Palin dropping out is.) Do a little research, just the facts, not public opinion, then make up your own mind.

And just to let anyone who know made it this far; I have known John McCain since I graduated high school in the 80’s. I have shared conversation and drinks with him since I have been an adult. (Big room, lot’s of people.) Nothing in this message proves that, and I do not really care if I am believed or not. I could be a total stranger and the facts would still be the same.

In the end, I have not yet made my decision on who I will cast my vote for this year, I am holding off until I see who our true choice is for the Republican ticket.

One final comment to the left, right, and center. Back off with the negative comments and attacks on Governor Palin. If they continue, she will be so busy responding with righteous indignation that we will never get a chance to see who she really is in the time she has to show us. Be kind and give her that brief moment in the sun.

As someone above noted, the teleprompter malfunctioned midway through the speech. Palin still held her own brilliantly.

I'm a Democrat but it is obvious from the track records that Pailn is a thousand times more qualified than both Obama and Biden put together.

What makes matters even worse is that
Obama is EITHER:
a blatant liar OR
an incredibly inept judge of character.

He has a history of close companionship and advice from people of disrepute. When the truth starts to come out Obama disowns the close friend, saying he had no idea of the person's leanings (even though he may have had 20 years close association). Obama has done this over and over with people like Jeremiah Wright, and his friends, terrorist group, The Weathermen, It is particularly disturbing Obama is so closely tied with Bill Ayers, the unrepentant terrorist who says he still wishes he had killed more US people. I don't think Obama is an undercover terrorist per se. But I do think he has no allegiance to the US and no ability to select appropriate people to hold offices. I do not choose to closely associate with, get advice from, and befriend murderers and racists. I don't think someone who does should hold office.

Either Obama is repeatedly lying about not knowing the character of these numerous friends, OR he is absolutely incapable of judging character - an essential skill for an executive who will select advisors and make decisions about foreign relations. No matter which case is true, either answer PROVES OBAMA IS UNQUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE. He has accomplished nothing in his short period as a state senator. If he ever made the Presidential office he could do serious damage to the country.

You can take all the speeches,the rhetoric, the agendas, the lies, the insults, the polls, the men vote, the women vote, the Hispanic vote,this, that and the other,etc.etc, but here is the truth of the matter,this election is about black and white.Anyone who thinks otherwise is only dreaming.I have seen and lived the divide for many many years and it is still here today. When people go into that voting booth, the "Bradley effect" will be in play, big time.I wonder how many people known anything about that, or believe it.

Apart from Nixon and Bush Senior all the Republican presidents over the last half century have been of a mold....imbeciles and half-wits who make the average American (see rural White) feel patriotic in their economic misery. With the nomination of McCain/Palin....this time-honored tradition is bound to continue.

Talk about angry folk!!! On this site or paper you better not say anything good about any Republican. Not to mention sore loosers. You lost the last 2 elections,,get over it. You can not blame the GOP for the libs mistakes. We have a President that loves this country and does his best to protect it and the drug head 60's croud hate him for his values just as they do Mrs. Palin and that has been made very clear the last couple of days. One thing you will never see is a member of the GOP go to Europe or any other country and down America. Can the DEM's say that?
Thanks, MR Lane..Good Article.
I-WE LOVE USA..and am proud of her.

Appears there are quite a number of "very pool losers posting here," that are ranting and raving mostly because they have became puppets on strings pulled by their democrat puppet master. Most of the complaints actually are a better description of the snake oil salesman Barrak Obama who has even less experience in government than Palin. Just check the records if you need being awakened to the facts about the guy. Also, since when has "family" became not a respectable environment? OH! Almost forgot, the liberals don't have much use for families.

Obama was a state senator for 8 years representing a district with more people than are in the entire state of Alaska. So Obama clearly has had far more responsibility than Palin. By her criteria (governor beats senator), she has more experience than McCain! Obviously her experience pitch is pure bull for the campaign.

I thought Palin delivered her speech well, she had the crowd on their feet. She is a former sportscaster, so I would have expected nothing less.

Interesting how Obama says he will cut taxes for 95% of the people but McCain/Palin only say he will raise taxes. I guess they are only concerned about taxes on the wealthy. I'm glad Obama wants to help the working people.

Right below the
'Evil Empire'
Reagan speech,
very heartwarming,
connected with me,
on a very personal level.
I enjoyed Obama's Iowa victory
speech, as well.
lately though, his speeches tend
to run in circles.
Hopefully Palin's
will stay engaging.
good luck to both candidates,
and their
service to country.
I am an american,
if you were wondering,
enjoying the process,
without becoming
hateful,
or mean spirited.
try it people.

If you are locked up in your hotel room for four days rehearsing your speech round the clock with a "team of advisers" .....chances are you should be able to get by if the teleprompter goes out for a few minutes.

Good Job Sarah, now is the time to give some interviews and answer tough questions about economy, foreign policy, creationism, abstinence only education, banning abortion incase of rape or incest, links with Alaska Independence party, taking earmarks and port barrel spending, Iraq war is "God's Will", Alaska pipeline is "God's Will", censoring materials from public library, lack of funding for teen pregnancies, supporting bridge to nowhere and then opposing it, misuse of power.

Palin is known as the Earmark Queen, which let powerful members of Congress deliver federal cash for pet projects in their home states that receive little or no public scrutiny. McCain himself said "Earmarking deprives federal agencies of scarce resources, at the whim of individual members of Congress."

Three times in recent years, McCain's lists of "objectionable" pork spending have included earmarks requested by Palin.
Palin, when running for governor in 2006, backed the $223 million request for federal earmark funding for "the Bridge to Nowhere." After she was elected, the project became a public embarrassment to the Republican Party, so she killed it and said she'd use the federal funds for other purposes.But recently, she publicly criticized Senator Ted Stevens and others for requesting the $223 million for the bridge.

In Palin's two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation.

In next year's federal budget, Palin has requested thirty-one earmarks for Alaska worth $197.8 million, including $2 million to research crab productivity in the Bering Sea and $7.4 million to improve runway lighting at eight Alaska airports.

In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation.

Palin, when mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, hired Washington lobbyist Steven Silver to represent Wasilla. After Silver was hired, the city got federal earmark funding for several projects, including a city bus facility for its TEN buses for an earmark valued at $600,000 and a local water and a sewer project for $1.5 million.

Palin accepted at least $4500 in campaign contributions in the same fund-raising scheme involved in the public corruption scandal that has led to the indictment of Republican Alaska senator Ted Stevens.

How did that speech prove her experience??? She never really addressed that issue, all she said is that her job took actual responsibilty (as opposed to Obama's experiences). She was mayor of a town that has a population of approx. 9,000 people, and governed a state that has a population of approx. 680,000 people. Come on, how does that reflect any sort of "responsibility"? I guess that would make 46 other governors more qualified since Alaska comes in at 46th of most populated states. Who has she had to represent. She was only picked to gain Hillary votes. Also, what kind of person uses their child as a political card to gain sympathy?? That's just F***** up. Also, isn't she being investigated about a questionable firing of another state employee??? Yeah, just what we need, another corrupt politician.

What is wrong with everyone in the media. The speech, rhetorically speaking, was AWFUL! Have you ever studied speeches. This one was terrible. Horrible inflection, slow pace, no power behind any words. Give me a break. She sounded like she was reading off the teleprompter the whole time.

Posted by: Are you crazy | September 4, 2008 11:22 AM

_____________________________________
HAAAAAAAAAAA!!Did you learn that in your High School Speech class!

Palin is being investigated in the Alaska state legislature's ethics investigation examining claims that she abused the power of her office to settle a personal score with her sister's ex-husband in a scandal now called "Troopergate." When the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner, Walt Monegan, refused to carry out her command to fire the ex-husband, she fired the commissioner.

....1) She says she's for ethical government vs. Sarah Palin, Director, "TED STEVENS EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, INC." -- she ran Indicted Alaska Senator's unlimited campaign funds group for years and still supports him for re-election

....2) She says she was PTA Mom for education in school vs. Just don't teach sex education because we want Abstinence Only -- didn't seem to work for her, as she eloped August 29, 1988 and had first child April 20, 1989--so if you do the MATH that is 7 months 22 days---my Dad always said the first one can come anytime and the second kid takes 9 months.

....3) She advocated FOR Ted Stevens Bridge to Nowhere as an EARMARK funding request vs Only after she found that Alaska would still have to pay for part of the remaining costs over the $400 Million, then she said nope we only want to spend Congress money not State money on it

....4) Says she's against those BAD EARMARKS NOW vs. As Mayor of a town of 6000 she got Ted Stevens and Don Young to give her $27,000,000.00 of GOOD EARMARKS which she gladly spent with no refund to Washington

....5) Says there are too many people in Washington who have been there to long vs Now the running mate of one who has been there the longest (26 years) and supporting the 84 year old indicted Senator from Alaska who has been there even longer--Guess it's too hard to ask your friends how long they've been there before she attacks their length of service

....6) Says she KNOWS John McCain vs Of course I only talked to him once and personally shook his hand once before he asked my to be VP---That's less time together than results in most shotgun weddings

....7) I have international experience vs. I'd have more if the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party) freed Alaska from the United States, then I could run my own country and my AIP card-carrying husband could be my VP.

....8) I'm cuter than Joe Biden in a swimsuit vs. Yes you are!

....Did anyone else notice that almost every Republican party talking head like Bob Dole, Rudy Guiliani, various other senators, and governors were all extolling Ms. Palin's Governor qualifications and then said: "However, I haven't had the privilege of meeting her yet, but isn't she great."

....When Mccain came on the stage, it appears this was his third or fourth time for him to actually meet and talk with her in PERSON, and he didn't have much to say except: "Isn;t she great."

...Her stock in trade seems to be ridicule others, and hope no one points out her actions....

....Gosh yes, she's nice....NOW PLEASE GIVE US SOME SUBSTANCE...FLUFF IS NOT ENOUGH!!!

This is the incumbent Palin defeated in the Republican primary for governor.

http://www.alaskareport.com/wn10118a.htm 9/25/06
"Popular opinion turned on Murkowski after missteps that constantly thrust him into battle with his political opponents and his own Republican-led Legislature, including: appointing his daughter to his U.S. Senate seat, unpopular budget cuts his first year and a highly publicized fight to buy a state jet. The more Alaskans got to see of Murkowski the less they liked him. Critics have questioned Murkowski's leadership skills, his endless ethical lapses, and his secret pipeline proposal with the three largest oil companies in Alaska behind the backs of state legislators."

I love hearing democrats saying "it's just more of the same", voted with Bush 90% of the time. If they had a brain they would realize that Obama the Magnificent has voted with Bush almost the same percentage.. as have most... since most of the votes are on things we ( and they ) all agree on. Check the facts for yourself...

Also, to see people so terrified of a VP candidate vs. their Pres. candidate..

When the Dem's throw blame on Bush for the price of oil please remember who vetoed drilling 10 years ago ( Clinton )because the cost was too high and would not impact the economy for 10 years.

Please also remember that the Dem's promised to do something about the price of oil ( that was back when it was $2 a gallon ) boy have they changed things since they gained power. With Obama it is truly more of the same

Constantly throwing blame and saying more of the same is really getting old. It's almost like saying " I know you are but what am I" as your only come back.

These same Dem's used to applaud McCain for being a Maverick. Now, he is just a Bush clone. I guess the only thing they are left with is to deflect attention off of themselves and what they are doing by pointing the finger at someone else. Just like young children.... GROW UP!

TO those who have said there is no mention of unemployement, the mortgage crisis....

Go read the transcript. There WAS mention of employment, but more importantly, I don't WANT the government to solve the mortgage crisis. My wife and I bought within our means using tried and true finance options. Folks who stretched their dollars w/ high risk mortgages made a mistake, and need to own up to it.

I give Gov. Palin credit, she is no Dan Qualye and she isn't as scary looking as Dick Cheney and if she hunts using that AK-47 she will a bit in common with old Dick.
She will energize us to go vote because 8 more years of Dubyaeconomics will bankrupt the entire nation.
I do give her credit for using a noun and a verb and Drill for Oil in every sentence.

Sticker shock is what you'll get from Obama/Biden when your tax bill doubles to pay for all the welfare "I don't wanna work" lame-o's that flock in areas all over metro america, and the bloated government that will only grow. After Sarah moved the USA last night I hope Obama is DONE! That's right, promote business so they can employ people, after all... you need a business to do that. Or perhaps we can all work for the government, or be union stewards! Our woes aren't one person, it's a union of all things that hit the fan at the same time!

"
Attack McCain, Guys!
Atlantic Online - 1 hour ago
Do not attack [Palin]. Stop referring to her as a just a small-town mayor and a neophyte governor who's unqualified to be President; in fact, stop referring ...
"

Look at those mad dogs,

Attack Palin (bacause she is woman).
oops, she is not weak as she looks.

Now attack McCain (because he is old).
lost your mind, guys? Do not mess up with soldier.

You can diffuse the real issues if you want by smearing a 17 year old but realize every time you do there is a girl/woman somewhere in an identical situation and she has an entire family with a base of friends that will make you pay in November. This tact is making people see what true hypocrites you "open-minded" liberals are.

Besides trying to pull the same hatchet job on Sarah that you laid on Hillary, the incessant whining from the left is sooooooo predictable - 2000, 2004 and now in 2008 - makes me think the little hockey mom fit the moose antler right square in your *sses.

Got to absolutely love the analogy between "community organizer" and mayor. It does make you ponder –
1) Exactly how big a budget does a "community organizer" manage?
2) How many people are on the payroll of a "community organizer"?
3) What kind of public works projects does a “community organizer” get involved in?
4) Do you have to punch a time clock or just hang out on the street comer when you're a "community organizer"? Is that what those guys are doing in the low income neighborhoods who hang out at the intersections? Hell, I thought they were all selling crack.

So we have Sarah Palin who has managed a city, a state, took on special interest, fought corruption AND raised a family. Can you please explain what Norealjobama has been doing with his Ivy League education besides cavorting with racists and communists and “organizing communities”?

Joe Biden saying someone delivered a speech without substance is like saying Pete Rose claims there is gambling on baseball. What an imbecile!!! The only speech Biden ever delivered with substance was the one in which he was publicly nailed for plagiarism.

To me, the only question that remains is how many times team Nojobama/Biden soiled their pants during her pasting of all things phony. Start brushing up on your “community organizer” skills Nojobama; it looks like you’ll be looking for work come November. “Work”- sorry, didn’t mean to offend any liberals out there.

Please Sarah, nail their scrawny asses for every woman who has ever been minimized – including Hillary, the latest most public example.

"You know things are looking good when the first goal of the Republican Party is to get Republicans to vote for the Republican ticket, then getting excited when you think you've pulled it off."-dentuso

I don't know how people are comparing her to Obama and Biden. Obama is a Harvard graduate and most talented person. Biden has tons of experience. I don't care who wins. I am a democrat myself. However, I would like to see how McCain can clean the mess we are in.

I think Palin is very good at reading someone else’s words. I also think she did an outstanding job insulting the very same people who helped her become mayor and governor...tsk tsk "Those community organizers." I hope all those Alaska firefighters, volunteers, teachers unions, and PTA members have alot to say about who they voted for mayor and governor now...all 909 of them. Typical, use those who help you get to were you are now then insult them from the top of the pyramid.

Her speech was sarcastic, bitter, and divisive, a bad comedian with canned laughter from the GOP. But most importantly her words were empty of any genuine content. (Have regressives like her nothing at all to say on the economy, education, healthcare, the middle-class?)

Despite an undergrad journalism degree from Idaho (we're talkin' intellect here!), and an ability to lip sync to the words of Bush's speechwriter, Matthew Scully, she sounded like a high school student giving a class presentation. (Phonetic spellings on the teleprompter, no less ('new-clear'!) It was an embarrassment to this country.

(Not to mention that she's an anti-science radical right wing maniac who believes the world was created 5,000 yrs ago and that the Iraq war was called forth from God!)

And now the media is just drooling over her (remembering apparently that the big right wing conglomerates own their butts), merely over the fact she can pronounce her words. What a crock.

Now accustomed to Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, and American Idol, enough Americans just might be dumb enough to let her and McCain run our country even deeper into the ground. If so, look around and enjoy a superpower's dying breath. History and the world will laugh at us, with only a small amount of pity. While Jefferson, Lincoln, and JFK, are all rolling in their graves. God help us.

"Reminds me of the first Reagan campaign when I hear questions about lack of substance or complaints about just reading from a teleprompter. If we have another great communicator who can connect with people, the country will be better off for it."

I have heard PTA speeches that are better than the one Sarah Palin delivered last night. Not inspired, nor lofty. Not befitting of a vp nominee. But the bar is set so low in this country, why am i not surprised?

As expected, the GOP attacks on the Media, have paid their dividends quickly.
It's amazing that this same tactic, continually manipulates the Media Sheep.

What did we learn from Gov Palin, last night.
We learned that she can read a speech.
Since she has been shielded by the McCain Campaign, before & after her speech, we've learned nothing else.

Did we learn anything about her command of domestic & foreign policy issues, that face our Country?
Nah... that stuff is unimportant, as long as she can read a speech.
Gov Palin is an affront to women.
She's been playing puppet to her puppet masters. If she had any moral strength, she'd demand to answer Media questions, to show how amazing her command of the issues is.
So, good job, Charles Lane, for being manipulated, and thinking one speech makes Presidential timbre.

The speech was dull though she was telegenic.
But the media has to be slapped for not calling the lies that she spewed before the American people on that platform. Obama will not raise taxes for the middle class. Go to the nonpartisan Tax Policy and see how McCain and Obama's tax cuts stack up and you'll see who is trying to help the middle class and who is pandering to the elite

Where do people get off thinking that we are soooo better off with a career politician rather than an average Jane who decided to improve her community?
Obama is impressive.... but Palin has a point that he really hasn't done much more than her.
And Biden?!?!? made all these comments on GMA this morning that she din't talk at all about policy or the issues... but she totaly laid out the Paris Hilton energy plan.... lets do it all!!!!
he didn't even watch the speach... and his reference to Guiliani and 9/11 was offensive (even if he does talk about it too much).

read one comment and had to key down to the end really fast to reply - not even about politics really. But, "awenshok 08", you obviously are either not currently a parent, and/or are pro-choice. If you are pro-choice, then does it not follow that it was her CHOICE to shoot for a 5th pregnancy?? And, you are inherently adhering to the notion that special needs children are nothing more than a poor judgment call on the part of parents who chose not to abort them? I don't know, maybe I am an idiot (like all us darn conservatives are, y'all), but this well educated, NY attorney/mother of two seems to think that that baby is quite well loved, and was welcomed from the day of conception. I wonder, if Obama and Shelly-belly had a special needs child, would it have been poor judgement on their part to allow that child into the world? What a twisted viewpoint, and a really stupid thing to hang your hat on. Grow up for heavens' sake - no one is asking you to raise that child...

A little fact that so many of the Palin-haters are avoiding is her approval rating in the state of Alaska - 85-90% That is unprecedented. Her approval rating while in office has continued to rise, which is also unprecedented. Whether they want to admit it or not, Sarah Palin is the real deal - what you see is what you get.

There also seems to be an undue amount of harsh criticism for reading a speech someone else wrote. I hate to burst your bubble, but politicians don't write their own speeches, so that shouldn't even be brought up as a determining factor.

Regarding the speech itself and how it was delivered, like it or not, it laid bare the fact that Mr. Obama is the least experienced candidate on either ticket and has done virtually nothing of note in his career as a politician except for make wonderful speeches full of lofty, unattainable promises.

Regarding the Troopergate thing - please, that's really grasping for straws. The guy got fired because he was a bumbling incompetent and needed to go and it had nothing to do with the ex-brother-in-law, although if you do some research into the situation, he probably should have been fired too.

PALIN HAS REALLY GOT PEOPLE TALKING SO PLEASE VOTE. REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU VOTE FOR MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR PLATFORMS AND WHAT IT IS GOING TO COST EACH ONE OF YOU FOR THEM TO DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY ARE GOING TO DO.
PERSONALLY IF THE CANDIDATE SAID THEY WERE GOING TO CUT WASHINGTON IN HALF AND CUT SPENDING IN HALF AND DO AWAY WITH ALL GOVERNMENT HAND OUTS I WOULD SAY MAKE THEM PRESIDENT FOR LIFE. TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WANTS FREE HANDOUTS BELIEVE IT'S NOT FREE SOMEONE HAS TO PAY. SO GOOD LUCK AND FOUR YEARS FROM NOW WE WILL ALL KNOW IF WE PUT RIGHT PERSON IN.

the writer Areyoucrazy is NUTS. It was a terrific speech delivered like only an intelligent not threatened woman can give. Everyone keeps refering to the fact that it ws written by someone else other that Sara Palin or that she was reading someone elses words. When did Obama and all the rest of the "them" start writing their own speeches. You can bet your bottom dollar that the "difference betweem a hockey Mom and a pit bull is lipstick" was not written in any speech! When Obama speaks everyone reacts like he is the second coming of the Messiah! He is using a teleprompter or reciting a speech written for him. Get real people, she is a dynamic woman who gets her message out to all Americans without loosing her feminity or her dignity. She is not threatened by the media and their taunts. She is for real and is everything the far left and hollywood elitists do not stand for. She is the AMERICA most of us grew up with.
That is one tough cookie!

I love it when a non Republican bashes Republicans because they are Republicans yet want to protect groups of people from just that sort of thing, guilt by association. The irony amuses me. Rudy had a very good line about women's rights prior to Palin speaking.

As far as the record goes, when does the President ever create legislation? I thought that was the job of Congress. If Congress and the Presidency are run by a party (Democrat or Republican) then why have two offices? The country and the diverse people living within it have to come before political interests and that is sadly not the case.

Whoever is playing kingmaker on both sides, game on! Let the debates begin, I want these candidates to square off.

THE ISSUE IS MCCAIN'S JUDGMENT AND PALIN'S PRONOUNCED JUDGMENTS ON SEX EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND POLICIES---THE SECONDARY ISSUE IS PALIN'S HYPOCRISY WHEN SHE SAYS:

"Palin herself said she opposes funding sexual-education programs in Alaska....
"The explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support," she wrote in a 2006 questionnaire distributed among gubernatorial candidates."

....
NOW DIDN'T SHE SAY SHE CELEBRATED HER 20TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY DATE ON AUGUST 29TH SINCE SHE GOT MARRIED IN 1988????

....AND HASN'T THE REPUBLICAN FAMILY VALUES INFORMATION SHEET BRAGGED ABOUT TRACK PALIN, HER OLDEST SON TURNING 19 LAST APRIL 20, 2008??? Wasn't he born April 20, 1989 then????

....So if we do the math for August 29, 1988 to April 20, 1989, a total of seven months twenty-two days===I guess my Dad WAS right, the first kid CAN come anytime; but it takes NINE months for the second one!!!

....So again, it looks like even Palin's Mom might have been mistating the PUBLIC reason for the "elopement" when Sarah got married....It may not have been the magnanimous reason to save the excessive "White Wedding" cost for her parents like she said, but rather the oldest of reasons in the world for MOST elopements....THE BUN WAS IN THE OVEN?????

....Now mind you, there is nothing WRONG with this real life scenario.....LIFE HAPPENS....AND LIFE IS NOT A MISTAKE

.....But when you stand up and say ABSTINENCE EDUCATION is the ONLY s.e.x. education that works and the only kind you want for your kids and everyone else....when you know it didn't work for YOU---That my friends, IS HYPOCRISY!!!

.....Or maybe she was touched by the holy spirit, and we simply had another republican immaculate conception....

....I guess her real s.e.x. ed policy is to learn about it the old fashioned way...in the back seat of a car....

I could do nothing but laugh all the way through the speech. Actually, I've been laughing since news first broke that the GOP chose a 'lipstick bulldog', PTA mom from nowhere Alaska who preaches the importance of abstinence only education - yet has a knocked-up teenage daughter, as their choice as VP.

She really reminds me of GWB in female form. But, to give her a little credit, at least she can read exactly what is put before her instead of laughing like a monkey and getting the big words wrong; kinda like 'misunderestimated".

Am I the only one who realizes that Palin's speech was written for her by Bush's speech writer. Am I the only one who heard nothing new, who found it both uninspiring and insulting to my intelligence. What was so great about the speech, that she didn't mumble her words like George Bush, that she could read a telepromter as a former sportscaster. Give me a break. She could have come before that brain-dead republican audience and belched and they would have applauded. Some pundit had the nerve to compare her "eloquence" with that of Obama's, REALLY! The fact is as far the republicans are concerned, with Bush the bar is set so low that anyone who can pronounce their name and utter something about the "liberal media and evil left" is someone to be lauded as having given a great speech. Why do we in this nation celebrate mediocrity? We criticized both Al Gore and John Kerry as being to cerebral and now proclaim the Harvard educated Obama as elite, since when did having intelligence become a bad thing, no wonder our kids greatest aspirations these days are who can get to the highest level of Grand Theft Auto! I guess Forrest Gump had it right, stupid is as stupid does, and electing these simplistic minded people to the highest office in the land at a time of economic, political and environmental crises is beyond stupid. It is crazy!

Obamarama, I can answer your question, "Can a single Dem come up with a good solid argument against McCain?"

No, they can't.

They would rather someone sway them by telling them everything they want to hear. The problem with that is that there is simply no way Obama can deliver on what he has promised, and he has zero record that shows he capable of doing anything.

Palin reminds me too much of Bush: governor, creationist, good personality, and that hasn't worked out very well.

Nobody had more experience than Cheney and Rumsfeld, and that hasn't worked out very well.

The Republicans have taken too much money out of my pocket, put the country too far in debt, expanded the federal government, and made horrible decisions in foreign policy. I'm ready for a change and I don't see McCain and Palin, both of whom I like, as the answer.

I can tell you though that she’s also very impressed with Barack Obama...she’s just impressed by his demeanor, is not just that he’s an eloquent guy and a guy who gives a good speech, a lot of people said that about my father too. But she sees through that. She’s been around a long time and she looks at Barack Obama and she sees the words,
hears the words and she perceives character there. She thinks this is a good guy, a guy who means well and is a strong character,
Sarah Palin is in no way qualified to be vice president or certainly president. John McCain is a 72 year old cancer survivor, not just any cancer,
melanoma. Not just any melanoma, melanoma above the neck. It was his obligation to choose somebody who could realistically step into the big chair and Sarah Palin is not that person.

I can tell you though that she’s also very impressed with Barack Obama...she’s just impressed by his demeanor, is not just that he’s an eloquent guy and a guy who gives a good speech, a lot of people said that about my father too. But she sees through that. She’s been around a long time and she looks at Barack Obama and she sees the words,
hears the words and she perceives character there. She thinks this is a good guy, a guy who means well and is a strong character,
Sarah Palin is in no way qualified to be vice president or certainly president. John McCain is a 72 year old cancer survivor, not just any cancer,
melanoma. Not just any melanoma, melanoma above the neck. It was his obligation to choose somebody who could realistically step into the big chair and Sarah Palin is not that person.

I think Gov. Sarah Barracuda said it best herself. She's a self-described pit bull with lipstick. And that's one scary image, sort of like a female combination of Tom Delay and Karl Rove.

I have to agree with Sen. Barack Obama: "America, we are better than these last eight years," he said. "We are a better country than this." We should all be fed up to the teeth by the witless, destructive personalities who have run this country for the past eight years, and to be presented with someone like Palin who is really just more of the same in high heels is just so depressing.

What else was in the speech besides a glossy inflation of her own accomplishments, a love letter to Sen. McCain and a running riff of sarcastic, cutting, demeaning, inaccurate observations on Sen. Obama? Was there anything about the sorry state of this country? About the economics? About health care or education? About healing the divides? No. It was all snarls and teeth and malevolent, lipstick smiles directed at those other Americans the Republicans hate so much.

You can't paint enough lipstick on Sara Palin for me not to recognize her as what she is...untested, unprepared, extremist nominee. She delivered a strident, mean spirited speach devoid of substance. It puts McCain's judgment into question if he thinks this woman is "ready to serve" as president. She is not and only the truly partisan or uninformed can claim she is with a stright face.

Gov. Palin's speech must have put a scare into the Liberals in this Country! Odd hear the hatred coming from people who claim to be non judgemental, compassionate and understanding. I think they see their election slipping away!

Why is it when you ever ask a Dem about Rezko, Ayers, Wright they never have an answer? Oh yea, he's a democrat so it's ok

Why is it that they never comment on Biden being a "bad parent" for raising his kids and entering Govt service as a single parent? If it is good enough for him doesn't the same stand true for her.. of wait a minute she's not a democrat

How is it such a big deal for Palin's boyfriend at the time to get arrested for a DUI on a snow-mobile while Barrack was smoking Pot and Cocaine heavily? I forgot, he's a democrat

Palin has a DS baby and her daughter gets pregnate and wants to keep the baby. WHY? Shouldn't they both KILL THEM.. oh wait a minute.. we have FREEDOM OF CHOICE for a woman to do with her body as she wishes. They wished to keep them and love them. I guess that is wrong. I didn't realize pro-choice meant KILLING CHOICE only.

Can someone please let Muad'dib know that with a state population of only 683,478 people (Less then the population of NYC alone) I am actually disappointed its not at 100%. Again...regarding the speech. People are talking about it because their campaign said they had that speech written weeks ago. In essence I still cant say I know her bc most of those words werent hers.

benighse, your post is borderline ridiculous. Why are you dredging up stuff that happened 20 years ago as if it should be pertinent today?

You complain that Sarah Palin is against "explicit sex education..." The key word there is "explicit". We had basic reproductive education where I grew up in Nebraska, but it was by no means explicit, and therein lies the difference. Buy a brain already.

shakazuluonetime, no - you aren't the only one who knows that Palin's speech was written by someone else. Are you aware that Obama's speeches are also written by someone else? Jon Favreau is Obama's speech writer, yet no one blasts him for reading someone else's words.

Sarah Palin took the fight to the Democratic ticket last night, and they have a lot to answer for.

1.) they want to raise taxes
2.) Obama is grossly inexperienced
3.) They speak, but don't act
4.) they would rather do nothing to solve a problem than to do anything that doesn't fit their ideals. (ref: drilling for oil in Alaska)
5.) Being two faced - telling the folks in PA what they want to hear, then deriding those very folks when speaking to the wealthy in San Francisco

This is amazing. The democrats cannot believe that Palin did not promise to solve all of the world's problems like their man Obama. That is the beauty of Palin, she is honest and straight forward. A mother of 5 children knows that leadership is not empty promises and sweeping claims of wisdom. It's doing what's right and putting others before your own self interest. Obama and Biden should take notice.

WOW
I wish I could blindly believe in any one of these political parties as it seems so many americans do, as evident by the posts. I guess I don't have the same values as either of them.

Can't we all compromise. For example:
Save babies - Hunt them later as game later. That helps Republicans and Democrats. Just think of all the wildlife that would be spared, tree huggers. And Republicans, can't you just imagine how much sport it would be to hunt something that could fight back.

To the never swaying Republicans: May the "non-existing invisible man in the sky" guide this candidate better than he/she/it did Bush. Maybe if he doesn't admit to hearing voices from "God" (I think that was residual effects from the late night coke binges) he'll fair better. Maybe if you all stuck to some priciples that actually made sense (see fiscal responsibility, pre Bush family) ya'll wouldn't have to be in such close races, then you'd actually have political pull with intellectuals.

To the always swaying Democrats: Maybe if you all could continue to stick together on an issue, regardless of facts (see Republicans), you might have a solid base to draw from. Remember to pick something that isn't feasible or lacks real facts so you can deny your way through it.

As far as Sarah Palin. Hmmm, abandon your retarded kid for political gain (and by abandon I mean have others do your parenting because there's no time for that if you have to help run a country and don't try to pull that femenist bullsh*t that says you can do it all). Anyone who has such little regard for the well-being of her family will have little regard for those who vote for you. I'm surprise you are even supported by Republicans as all of the ones I know would tell you to get your biatch as* back in the kitchen and cook up dinner. I guess if you are standing behind a man they feel you are still "in your place".

PS. This post is just to incite people because really I'm an equal opportunity hater, aka independant.

It's interesting to read these posts. Such anger, sarcasm, and animosity towards one another. Too bad objectivity has been lost on so many people. Sara Palin's speech was wonderfully delivered. So was Joe Biden's. Now go vote for the Presidential candidate that will help our great democracy and freedom's thrive! (Or moan and complain at how awful the other guy is)

Whew! Obama has these liberal white boys charmed to the max! What a bunch of easy-sales. Like little white lambs on their way to the slaughterhouse.
Give me Sarah Palin and John McCain over Obama bin Biden anyday, and I'm not afraid of what you libby boys think about it!
Go Sarah!!!

Muad'dib congrats you did the unthinkable....you falsified a fact check. Obama from what I understand is cutting taxes for more than +85% of the population. In regards to experience here are the facts....Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. The truth is I got more votes running for student government of my college university (3300 votes). I guess McCain 4got to vet me too.

I agree that we all need to vote. If you don't, don't complain. For us "conservatives" out there we agree with you. We believe in enpowering people not enslaving them. After all, it was Republican's who freed the slaves and gave women and blacks the right to vote.. NOT DEMS

As I've posted before in WAPO comments, I find Gov. Palin to be a very compelling choice. I'm not going to re-list the impressive attributes associated with her, but suffice it to say that she's got a host of accomplishments. I saw the speech last night and pretty much got what I expected. No real surprises. Nothing she or Sen. McCain could say would make me vote Republican, but I can appreciate how resonant her rhetoric is for my dear friends of the right wing.

Let's not miss the point. She was picked for her accomplishments, but also for her ability to energize a Republican party that has weakened considerably over the last four years. I think Republicans are trying to go back to real conservatism, and she's putting some real firebrand energy into that effort. Good for her, and good for Republicans. I like honest, healthy debate between conservatives and liberals. The compromises between the two make for some pretty decent policy decisions (though not totally outstanding, but I'm a liberal -- I'd expect that conservatives aren't entirely satisfied by compromise, either).

To all of my dear friends on the right who continue to insult or demean liberals as crazy or only worthy of death or delusional or angry or anti-American -- you're so cute when you do that. Let me assure you, I would never do the same to you.

The problem is, you just don't understand. By levying a larger tax burden on the US in ANY form, it sucks money out of the economy because there is less to spend, and it ultimately winds up taking jobs away from Americans so that it can be outsourced to other countries so those businesses can avoid the taxes that Obama wants to impose.

Also, let's just give Palin's race for Mayor a rest, ok - she went on to become the widely successful and popular GOVERNOR of the state. But hey, I guess you know more, right? After all, didn't you become a governor or senator too? Yeah, didn't think so.

JR Pants "This is amazing. The democrats cannot believe that Palin did not promise to solve all of the world's problems like their man Obama."

I disagree Palin did not promise to solve all of the world's problems like Obama....She just forget to tell America how she is going to solve America's problems. Oppose to talking about how Obama/Biden are wrong for the jobs she didnt convince why she is right for the VP spot.

You are not quite correct. Yes, Abe Lincoln freed the slaves, and he was a Republican, but Republicans of his day more closely align with today's Democrats on social issues, particularly with regard to equality and voting rights. The Civil Rights Act was pushed through by Democrats. Republicans of the day were not keen at all to see it pass, and gave no more than token support. They'd claim to be behind it, but would not vote as they spoke. When it did pass, southern Democrats left the party to become Republicans, feeling that the white race was better represented there.

It may have gone unnoticed by you last night, but almost every single person in the RNC arena last night was white -- about 99 percent of all the people in the room. The camera operators tried valiantly to look for the black people there, but only one black woman was there to be seen. They tried to make the most of her by trying angles that would include her. It was most pathetic. If the Republican party was so finely endowed with the attributes and fake facts you speak of, there would be very strong black representation at the convention, wouldn't there?

Muad'dib come on. I dont think you get it. She was the governor with a population of 683,478. Now by all accounts that is an accomplishment, however, I'd just like to point out that 80% of the population comes from towns/cities with populations larger than her entire STATE. No Im not a governor...HOWEVER I am and will continue to point out the reasoning to an 85% approval rating. AGAIN appose to bashing the dems ticket she couldve talked more about what she will do in the VP spot appose to wasting our time with family introductions and portraits.

sure, her stock goes up, the DOW loses 300 points. kudlow will blame it on the dems of course, but just for once, these (R)'s have to own up to the responsibility they have for driving our economy into a deep ditch. greed is NOT good, and income disparity has not even been brought up yet. when it does become more of an issue, which it will, look out, supply siders.

1) "Misunderestimated" is not a word in the English language."
UMMM... DUDE, IT WAS A JOKE.

"2) You are saying you "misunderestimated" her based entirely on her ability to read a speech written by somebody else."
UMMM... DUDE, OBAMA'S SPEECHES ARE ALL WRITTEN BY DAVID AXELROD.

"Personally, I like to set the bar for President of the United States higher than ability to read a speech. The last 8 years have shown us the results of choosing someone based on their superficial abilities."
UMMM... DUDE, ME TOO. AND THE BAR SHOULD ALSO BE RAISED HIGHER THAN JUST ELECTING SOMEONE WHO'S ONLY ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE SENATE HAS BEEN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

Sarah's speech was fantastic especially on the level of straight from the heart. Hillary is the most awkward, mechanical, inflection-challenged, boring orator on the planet. Big Dog Billy might be the best.

More instant mythology from the Republicans. Fact: there wasn't a thing wrong with her teleprompter. She didn't "wing" anything. She read exactly what they wrote for her before they even knew she was going to be McCain's pick. At least act as if you're interested in the truth.

Let me clue in those of you who seem to think this was some kind of homerun: the problem people are having with this performance is not that she didn't outline four years' worth of policy in the 40 minutes she had. The problem is that what was written for her to read was nothing even close to mentioning the priorities that the average American wants to know about: the economy, the environment, and on and on. Instead, we got an evening, from start to finish, of more hate and them versus us. Newsflash for you: there IS no "them" and "us". It is ALL "us" and unless certain people start pulling their heads out of their nether regions, this downward spiral we're in will simply get worse. Electing an old man with a dubious medical history and a woman with zero experience and - by her own admission - zero interest in things like foreign policy and the war in Iraq is courting disaster on a supreme scale. Instead of putting country first, they've put party first, and the only thing they've done is show they can do the same things they've done for the past eight years: attack the other guy instead of dealing with the issues.

It is astonishing how may people will swallow whatever they're told. It's also astonishing just how many people miss the irony of the Republicans saying that the "family is off limits" while trotting out the entire crew and passing a four month year old baby around like he's the collection plate at a revival. It's amazing that I have yet to see one person mention that Palin railed against all those lifelong DC people - all the while ignoring that McCain IS one of those very same people, and thus by extension, according to the remarks prepared for us, part of the problem.

Grow up, for once. Do the right thing, the human thing, and reject the asinine actions we saw last night.

So, why do the Dems want to give my hard earned dollars to others? If they were liberal as defined in the dictionary they would use their own money to bribe the unwashed masses for votes instead of stealing the income of the workers.

I love the fact that Palin accused Obama's spouse of lacking patriotism even though her own spouse, Todd, hates America so much that he has been an active member of an Alaskan party that seeks to secede from the Union.

I believe this is something tantamount to hypocricy, not to mention bad form.

And if she wants to present herself as a "law and order" Republican, then why has she not sought prosecution against the 18-year-old that knocked up her underage daughter?

And remember that this is the woman that wants us to teach abstinence only in our public schools. Just look at how well this policy has worked in her own family!

Last nights speech apparently put an end to the speculation of why John McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Look for McCain to pack the next presidential cabinet with more mavericks, though more in his image than in Palin’s. Effective immediately, both parties are on notice that there will be no Republican/Democrat “machine politics” as it relates to a McCain White House. McCain effectively placed himself as the Washington "outsider", which is what he always was, and the Obama Machine as the weapon and tool of Euro-socialism in America. It was a brilliant move that will certainly pay off in November.

Kgraham - you just don't seem to want to accept that Sarah Palin is a highly capable woman with a solid track record, and that is what leads to a high approval rating. Can any mayor of similar sized cities as the population of Alaska claim an approval rating that high?

From my observations, the only people that don't like and identify with Sarah Palin are far-left Democrats.

Hey Ironic,
A lot of patriotic Americans or their descendents who had fought in every war from the American Revolution to the Mexican War felt compelled to secede in 1860. They considered themselves the Americans of the original cause that spawned this nation and the country as violators of that cause. So take off your blue coat and hang up your saber, because you aren't going to get far with that one.

Sixty years ago another unknown politician was selected for the VP slot. That person was Harry Truman, a US Senator with some experience, but no foreign policy credentials. At the time President Roosevelt was a dying man and yet he ran again for a fourth term with Truman as his VP. Prior to his death, the President rarely met or consulted with Truman. It was only after the President died that Truman was informed of the Atomic bomb. I'm not indicating that Palin is another Truman, but I see a similarity regarding "experience." Palin will be brought up to speed quickly - she won't be kept in the dark if McCain is elected. If something were to happen to a President McCain, she would have the tools to become President. Unlike Harry Truman who had to win a World War and become familiar with world leaders as part of his "on the job training", Palin will prepared quickly. Fortunately for us, Truman was up to the task. I think Palin will be also if it becomes necessary for her to take over.

Posted by: There is no such thing as anonymous anymore | September 4, 2008 4:03 PM
| Report abuse

Hate to burst your bubble but this is a republic not a democracy. It's sad how little people know these days.

The performance of Sarah Palin was great in that everyone infact did underestimate her. If they don't correct their concept and perception of her they will be ground into the dust. She shot back fairly to the criticism's about her experience and she wasn't even nasty about it just blunt. Obama has no experience to point to or reference. A mayor of a town is legitimate experience as an executive where councilman would be legitimate experience as legislative. She went from mayor to the governor's position also an executive and a common step in the political ladder. She is the only candidate with executive experience. In essence she is the MOST experienced candidate in the election for making executive decisions. Now one needs to look at what she stands for and who she is. At this point there isn't a ton of information out there yet so I'll wait and see what the scrutiny reveals as truth and what is just fabrication and lies. At this point it's too early to tell. Indisputable though is her experience, she has that in spades,something Obama most definitely doesn't have.

Muad'dib by no account am I questioning if she is capable of DOING the job. Undermining the fact that she HERSELF said she didnt know what a US VP does....ahem. I think she can DO the job, however, her arguement/approach, or lack there of, for explaining why she is the best person for the job just explains why she shouldnt get the job.

Palin proved last night that she can read well from a teleprompter in front of a large crowd. It's a good skill, but doesn't make her (vice) presidential material.
It didn't seem an entirely grown-up speech; more like a clever snarky speech delivered by a very bright president of the college young republicans - - clever, but pretty short on substance.

Ok, lets just hit one topic at a time. Lets talk health care. I have read McCains and Obama's plans. What do you know of them. Because if you have read them why the heck would you ever vote for Obama??

Lets just start there. Here is MY summary:

I believe that a government plan sounds good as Obama proposes--I just don't trust that this will save me money and I really don't like the idea of any medical "think tank" we would have to pay for where doctors would sit in a room and decide what treatments are most effective. Doctors have conventions for this purpose; why should I fit the bill for some new agency forget it--they(government programs) never go away once they start. This is part of Obama's plan--to start agencies and to have national this and national that. McCain just cites action not agencies--read for yourself. I get crazy when I read how stupid this Obama is--his plans sound like they (I mean this honestly) were solicited from a maybe third grade elementary classroom.

Obama, "Now kids, what do you think we need?"

Kids, "MAKE A AGENSSY TA FIX DE PROBWEM "

Obama, "Thank You kids, I will use your nice ideas, carry on--Hey, wait a second where are the white kids? How come there are only two Black kids in this classroom??"

As for a health care insurance plan--you know that this is ripe for abuses. Once a non-changing plan is in place we would require that any changes that occur would need an act of congress--this is always the difference. If I need a change or there is some inherent problem in need of a solution I can't get congress to do anything--I am an individual. As a citizen I have the power in my consumer dollars; as citizen my power to make congress act is considerably smaller.

That is the crux of the difference--Obama wants a government to have the decision and I believe McCain wants us to vote with our dollars--which is more empowering when you are deciding to make a medical decision for you or your loved ones--who do you trust? A tax incentive for tax payers who buy insurance is the better solution.

Both plans seem to have a paragraph about going to a paperless system so they are equal here--maybe this is the only part of their "cost savings" plan I could understand. As for Obama, he can suggest the generic--I just think he has no right to force the decision.

I would rather have McCain looking busy looking into costs than have Obama busy deciding what treatments are available.

No you only underestimated her abilities as a salesperson for the GOP. What McCain understood is that he's an ulgly old guy (sorry John) and he needed a pretty face with the gift of gab to spruce up the platform. The GOP base is eating it up.

Just the facts, from the state of Alaska.
http://old-www.legis.state.ak.us/cgi-bin/folioisa.dll/stattx00/query=*/doc/{t3774}?

Sec. 11.41.440. Sexual abuse of a minor in the fourth degree.
(2) being 18 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual contact with a person who is 16 or 17 years of age and at least three years younger than the offender, and the offender occupies a position of authority in relation to the victim.

So even at the lowest level of legal offense, Sarah Palin has no reason to complain about Levi Johnston Getting Bristol pregnant. It is all good.

How cute of you to ask if I'm a liar! Nope, I'm not a liar. I watched the whole speech, but I listened to all the previous ones on the radio. During that speech, I saw only one black woman, and multiple angles. Let me clarify that, actually, I saw two black women, but one of them was Gwen Ifill, a jounalist, and that doesn't count.

It's really quite rude to assume that because my recollection differs from yours after a one-time viewing of a television event, I must certainly be a liar. How amusingly hyperbolic! I would never infer the same thing of you, dear friend.

The only speech with grace and dignity was form Mike Huckabee! Otherwise angry republicans on the GOP: so many dirty speeches in the same way as your role model Rush Limbaugh who wrote the true patriotic sentence about hurricane Gustav : "Jindal dashes Democrat dreams of destruction!" This is really the way republicans want to united our country! And this with republican slogan: Country first! as if the other side is not patriotic! I say just: Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged!

Is Bristol the name of a TV witch? Because I know Piper is one Charmed witch and Willow casts spells for Buffy.
And while we are on the names.
VP nom Biden's son is Hunter.
VP nom Palin's son is Tracker.
Um.. does anyone see a pattern here?
Keep the laffter flowing people, you serious ones (Like Doug Sonara) need to chill out.

We need to probe beneath the glossy surface of Ms. Palin and unearth her real agenda.Frankly,she scares me. We in the public rely on the media to do the probing,not to be carried away by the emotional factors.

palin, is the democrats and obama's worst nightmare. now, dems and obama are taking their own dose of medicine. if dems and the media elite were able to half bake a rockstar out of obama, palin will be a full baked rockstar that they wont like to deal with.

Thank you, Mr. Lane for shifting the attention back to basic issues. You are helping to stop a most unseemly feeding frenzy. Palin is not out of the woods by any means, but at least this mommy nonsense can stop--I hope.

You are right. "Charity begins at home" isn't in the Bible. It's A proverb. Not IN Proverbs. Do you think I might have been thinking of Titus 2:5 that says women should be keepers at home, obedient to their husbands?

I find it amusing that Obama has to use a teleprompter for all of his speeches, but republican's can't? Obama has a team of people writing his speeches, prompting and coaching him. And since most of you talking about the teleprompter you failed to notice the screen was blank and she actually had sheets of paper she was turning and referencing during the speech. Not sure if they had a backup waiting for her to use somewhere but it looked to me like she wasn't using the teleprompter which is much more than I can say of Obama.

This is just too funny... what does it take to impress anyone by Sarah Palin? Answer: Reading a speach off of a teleprompter and put on a tough face, a speach written by someone else I may add. Where do I start? Her speach was an attempt to sound tough, a Sarah barracuda? Barracuda is a fish and belongs to the sea. hehehe... not politics. The speach was nothing but a ridicule of the Democrats, nothing new, nothing informative, nothing more than a stand-up comedy, a laughing fuel for the clowns that gathered at the Rep. convention. Did you guys see the one that looked like Abe Lincoln? Yeah, I thought it was funny, too. How about the blonde with the red cowboy (err.. cowgirl) hat? Besides, what was up with all those cowboys and cowgirls?

How you could criticize that speech (while swallowing BHO's pablum) is beyond me. The woman was smart, witty, scrappy, and dare I say, All-American. I am a Democrat by my lifetime voting history and at heart, but if this lady lives up to the hype, I will vote for her.

I have had it with speechifying salesman who is only selling himself under the tag line "change."

What is the author talking about when he says Palin delivered the speach with wit, or that her best line was "...". She isn't even pretending to have written the speach, she just read it off the teleprompter as it was written by a Republican speach writer. According to the official Republican statements, much of the speach was written before they even knew who the VP candidate was going to be. Are we becomming so shallow that we are impressed with presentation and don't even consider what was said or who actually said it.

Palin has had virtually every speach she has ever given, written by a paid spaech writer. Now I am not saying that other politicians don't have speaches written but great politicians do write their important speaches because they realize that it is important for them to be presenting their own ideas. But the most important thing that people seem far to ready to forget about Palin is the crazy things she actually believes and the policies that she would be likely to try to put into place if she were to become President. Never has it been so important to consider what a VP would be like a President as it is in this race. McCain is one foot in the grave and having Palin as the one to fill his shoes is terrifying.

Do you people realize that Palin wants creationism taught in schools, no sex education other than abstinence (we can see how well that works in Alaska), she doesn't believe in global warming, she feels that abortions should be illegal no matter what the circumstances, she feels that raping Alaska and our coast lines is worth it for a couple of years worth of oil, ten years in the future. I don't believe that McCain would be comfortable with her as President, but he seems to be in denial about his own mortality.

I could have voted for McCain. I didn't agree with some of his ideas, and I think he can be a little rash, but he seems basically sound, but Palin is a crazy redneck and nobody seems to see the difference between her and a mainstream Republican.

So she can read a telepromter. Why don't I hear any Republican's talking about their ideas or policies? Is it because they don't actually have any? From the vantage point of Canada, the Republican's are looking more and more like the same bunch that were in the last two elections. All attack. No introspection. Seriously, you American's have a chance to stick with the status quo or try something different. Please don't f*** this up. The rest of the world is counting on you.

Obama's resume is posted there by the republicans. I think they know that it speaks for itself that is probably why they posted the resume. I see there more to reaffirm he is a product of years of watching out for one part of the public--his own kind so to speak. I guess I am a "typical white person."

Sarah = Regan are you kidding and totally out of mind! How can someone compare the experience of Regan who was governor of California with Palin the governor of Alaska.
Alaska is not California or Georgia or any other typical State! How many different races are there? What type of work? Man even a mayor from Atlanta or Illinois has more complex situation then the governor of Alaska. No wonder she can have 5 children! This is McCain's wrong choice and security risk! If something happens to him she becomes president. I wished Mitt would have won and then no Sara Pilton would be talking ...

I have alot of respect for McCain regarding his service for this country. Nonetheless, it was McCain a couple months ago who said he despised the kind of partisan politics illustrated last by his VP pick. I think that speaks volumes.

C.K.-I disagree. I dont think its about her experience -Granted they are all accomplished. I think its about her inability to tell the American people what she will bring to the Vpresidency. I feel she just dont know...she herself said she doesnt even know what a US VP does....might I add she said that a couple of days ago.

I must say I am quite disappointed with remarks I heard tonight. Mainly Guliani and Palin. Any hopes for getting the parties to work together to change this country is almost over. I want the gloves to come off, I am ready for the debates!!!

It seems the RNC strategy was to drive fear in hearts of their people with talks of terrorism and cultural/religious wars they have yet to engage in. And the whole concept of blind patriotism is scary. I love my country as much as the next, but to act as if we are without flaw is ludacris. The funny thing is I have actually lived overseas in countries where they don't have some of our rights. I grew up most of my life as a diplomats kid, and in my own right an ambassador for my country. Thank God I never had to defend Bush/McCain policies or any of this rhetoric I witnessed tonight.

By the way RNC, McCain is not the only one to risk his life for country, Barack Obama risks his life everyday by running to become the first black president. And his enemies are his fellow Americans!!! Not even Colin Powell was brave enough to do that and he is a 4-star general!! (I actually respect him though)

It seems that extreme conservatives believe the only way to keep america safe is to impose their will worldwide and kill everyone who has different values than them.

Has anyone not realized that it was this same mentality that caused us to get attacked in the first place.

What I also find amazing is how McCain can embrace the same people that during his run against George Bush - said his adopted Bangladeshi daughter was a unwanted black child from a prostitute. I bet some of the same people are working his campaign. They never seem to show her as if they are ashamed. As 1 adopted child to another - I feel for her. Even the way they discribe bringing her home like she is a pet is SAD!!

I encourage everyone to vote from their heart, I just recognize the importance of intelligence and level minded actions!! All responses are welcome positive or negative I love discussions/debates!!!

Hey Doug how do I get in on your voting pool. I think you are so right about palin being a short term show girl for the opening act. I ain't too sure about liberman, but I know it ain't gonna be her riding the ticket in november!!

I am pasting it again, c'mon people, what do you think? And who do you want McCain to really pick?

Can you say placeholder?

OK, let's start with my credentials.

Middle class American well paid techie programmer trouble-shooter, served in the military with distinction. Godfather was classmate of McCain's at the United States Naval Academy, close family friend was commander of McCain's plebe year class.

Brought up republican, have since gone totally middle of the road and try to live by 'Pick the person, not the party." I vote on both sides of the party line based on what I have learned from my research, not what I have heard from the media.

That being stated means I am an open target to the extreme left and right. So when in a no win situation, I am inclined to sit back and enjoy the ride. So let's get started. Today let us talk about our Vice President Nominee for the Republican ticket. Otherwise know as the Place Holder.

I have a pool going at work, at the bar, and at the local Renaissance Festival that Sarah Palin will drop out of the race in 28 days or less, the deciding time being before the VP debates. Why do I think this? Because right now I find more local republican's upset with her as the VP nominee than I do local democrats. And in watching Bill O'Reilly last night I find it rather amusing at how many Republicans he spoke with dodged around answering his question on how they felt about Sarah Palin. It was humorous how they would do the “Look! Bright shiny thing!” and turn the answer into a statement on how the democrats were unfairly attacking Governor Palin’s family values. And not a single one ever voiced their opinion on the VP nominee for the Republican Party.

Listen to the news, read the blogs. There are many valid reasons for John McCain to have chosen such a contentious candidate; he is not planning on her staying for long. There are many reasons she could speak so big and bold at the RNC last night (09/03.) She will not have to worry about maintaining that front for long.

In short, Sarah Palin is a place holder. A “bright shiny thing” to distract and draw fire and to make everyone who opposes her look bad. For shame on anyone who attacks this hard working mother of five. One a soldier, another an infant with a terrible a malady, and yet another who has made a terrible mistake but will be doing the right thing. All fantastic fodder for the media machine. Get it while you can, she will not be around long. At least not in the role of VP nominee.

I may be wrong, but I have a lot of money riding on the fact that in a few short weeks, Sarah Palin will step up to the microphone and step down from the position of the VP nominee. It may be because her young son, three month old Trig needs his mother’s time. Maybe it is because her 17 year old daughter will need her mother during this very trying time of teen pregnancy. It may even be that as a good woman of strong family values, her family is more important than the position as Vice President of the United States. It might be a combo of all three, which still would not have stopped her from being an excellent VP, but the constant attacks of the press have just worn her down, (Bad Media, go lie by your dish!!) and this good family woman just needs to have priorities.

Boy oh boy. Governor Palin stepping down is sure going to put presidential nominee John McCain in a tight spot. He is going to need a new running mate, stat!! And I suspect Senator McCain will step up to the plate with a rapid replacement. It may not be some one he would have chosen originally, he/she may not be what the party wanted. But time is short, and this person is a damned good option at the last minute.

I am putting my money on Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. You know, that independent politician who has plenty of experience. He was incredibly supportive of John McCain at the convention a few days ago. Heck, he even has experience running for Vice President of the United States. He did it in 2000 on the democratic ticket, and we all know how close that election was.

So if it is Senator Joe Lieberman, the detractors of the republican ticket can no longer play the ‘lack of experience’ card on the VP nominee. Not only that, Senator Joe will likely carry a lot more of the undecided democrat votes with him than a little known Governor of a sparsely populated state.

I could go on, but why? My point has been made and I have work to do. In the end I honestly feel Sarah Palin is nothing more than a place holder, soon to be replaced. Most likely just before the VP debates, and then Joe L. will sweep in at the last minute, step up to the plate at the debates and give Joe B. a good run for the money. He will definitely give the republican ticket a better chance in the election.

Please note I have not bashed any of the candidates, this laborious posting is only to share with the world something that is obvious to me. (OK, Lieberman is not a certainty, Palin dropping out is.) Do a little research, just the facts, not public opinion, then make up your own mind.

And just to let anyone who know made it this far; I have known John McCain since I graduated high school in the 80’s. I have shared conversation and drinks with him since I have been an adult. (Big room, lot’s of people.) Nothing in this message proves that, and I do not really care if I am believed or not. I could be a total stranger and the facts would still be the same.

In the end, I have not yet made my decision on who I will cast my vote for this year, I am holding off until I see who our true choice is for the Republican ticket.

One final comment to the left, right, and center. Back off with the negative comments and attacks on Governor Palin. If they continue, she will be so busy responding with righteous indignation that we will never get a chance to see who she really is in the time she has to show us. Be kind and give her that brief moment in the sun.

A million possible candidates could look great giving a speech on TV if they never had to issue any information on their positions on the issues or face even a single question about what they knew about the issues. For crying out loud, after a bit of googling last night I know more about Linda Lingle's position's than Palin's (and scratched my head from then on about why she wasn't the candidate - a truly substantive, savvy Western woman governor who I think I might choose over any of the actual candidates).

Palin might start a whole new trend: Always nominate a back-bencher who has almost no record, write them a great speech, bring upon yourself by your own actions a scurrilous media firestorm so you can claim you are being treated unfairly, and refuse to answer any questions. If this works, good-bye to the last shred of substance in American politics. You simply cannot "grade" Palin as a candidate before you have any information at all about what she knows and how she thinks about the main issues facing the next administration. There's nothing to estimate yet. The only information we have is that she's the most committed theocrat in American political history. But she didn't even own up to that in her speech. Talk about Zero.

Palin would so win "Big Brother." But I thought we were doing something a tad more serious.

At least we know the Palin girls put out, I guess that's better than voting for an old prune like Hilldog. As a fiscal conservative male with urges I might just have to vote for McCain and Palin based on her looks since her resume is lacking and he's well....not exactly a true conservative. Looks it is...decision made.

Democrats are full on politicians while the Republicans are business leaders. The difference is the Democrats are about making government bigger. Our current congress is the liberal congress you wanted--why such a low approval rating buddy?

If a Republican party line is to give the choice to the people what does this say for all Republicans? Does this make us morons that can't think for ourselves?

I think it is the Dems that are all emotional and like "the show" not the Republicans--the Democrats certainly don't want to make any decisions!!

Just look at Obama's attitude toward 401k and IRAs--he says they are "socialist programs" his attitude is the money should come from the government because he has no faith that some segment of the population will be able to rub two pennies together so they can retire.

Hey you can call us Republicans anything you want but it is you who are lost and confused.

Listen, everybody in the world is really hoping that the citizen's of the USA don't f*** this up. For real. I will have no faith in America as a nation if McCain gets elected. You have two choices: The Status Quo or Un-tested Waters. How much do you all love the status quo? I haven't even heard ANY ideas about ANYTHING coming from the Republicans. . . except about drilling for oil in fragile eco-systems. Seriously, the whole world is counting on you: Don't F*** This Up!!!

How delightful to have your assessment of my reading comprehension skills! Very kind of you.

Yes, you asked if I was a liar. "Be a partisan. But not a liar." is how you ended. Academically, to say that I should not be a liar is to infer that I am a liar, or that I aspire to dishonesty. Both are incorrect inferences, and rude to make.

You can challenge my obervations. That's okay. No harm, no foul. They're observations, and not the gospel. I don't apply any higher standard to my own observations than I do to yours.

If you believe that your own observations are as pure and unadulterated as flawless crystal, you will find that they are not, one day.

My observation still stands, though, for what it is. If anyone has last night on TIVO and feels like running the count, I'd love to see if there was more than 1% of the audience that was black.

In Disbelief
I can't believe you said that! I want to see the middle class improve their standing and could care less about all demographics! You just like to try to trick people don't you. I look at the standard of living in America and I see a darn good standard of living. Even when I was layed off 3 times I maintained a very nice 3400ft^2 home on a golf course. I work hard for my money and I don't want to see the Democrats and their stupid government programs.

so it's 2004 deja vu all over again? the media is running away from their original (and rightful) line of questioning on Mrs. Palin's values, ethics, and record. She told us outright lies last night and everyone, including CNN and now WaPo, gave her a pass because the right wing is once again screaming media foul...its unbelievable that these so-called journalists lose all their courage and integrity as soon as the shrinking right wing cries at them...lets face it, they are puppets being controlled by the repubs...it was the media's cowardice in not questioning the prior administration that led us to march into Iraq so hastily...way to go MSM, you've failed the country again. that speech was 100% propaganda...no substance whatsoever

First off the creationism in schools argument is a fabrication of her actual statement which was simply that students should be allowed to debate alternate ideas to evolution.

Secondly she prefers abstinence be emphasized, which by the way is the MOST effective means of birth control and preventing STD's (not debatable).

Thirdly, she doesn't believe in the environmental movements claims in global warming which is scientifically baseless. Global warming is happening, but the environmentalist claim that "HUMAN CAUSE" is the reason is at best a scientific Hypothesis and can be proven wrong (and has been several times) with experimental data which means it's a failed hypothesis. The earth is Warming, the cause is what's up in the air and it isn't Humans, we're not that powerful.

Fourth item I would grant you she does seem to be on that abortion absolute ban ride which is sad since there are definite medical cases where it would need to be performed to save the life of the mother. (due to child carrying complications not because it would be inconvenient to have the responsibility)

Fifth item she is not raping anything... the area that the companies want to drill in ANWR is like dropping an ink pen on a sheet of paper tip down and drilling where the dot appears. It's tiny and it's in the tundra.... incase you don't know what that is it's a desert made of snow and ice, mostly mud and permafrost in the summer if and when it thaws. Also the oil and gas in alaska is enormous and would help give us the time we need to develop newer technology and energy without depending as much on foreign oil. To think in 5 to 10 years we will not have a need for oil is absolute fantasy, it takes literally DECADES for technology to be come common use and practice on a household level. An enormous part of our life and economy is based on oil from manufacturing to fuel. The answer is everything on the table which is what she said, alternatives AND DRILL and produce more at home. That only makes sense, you don't buy tomatoes at the grocery store when you have tomato plants waiting to be picked.

I'm waiting to see what she does in the coming month, and how she does in the debate. She is the most experienced candidate in the election as far as executive decision making, something the Obama group truthfully has what they said, zero.

In her unfair criticism of Obama's community organizer background, Sarah Palin is offending the thousands, if not millions, of community organizers in this country. I have dedicated my life to programs that benefit people in need for more than 30 years. People in our profession work long hours for little or no pay and we help raise billions of dollars and save substantial amount of government spending. She was smitten, arrogant and out of touch with the real needs of American people. She bragged about saving Alaska great sums through her vetoes- but never mentioned that these cuts were at the expense of the most vulnerable-- the elderly, children, teen moms and people with special needs. How dare she say that she's supportive of her pregnant teen daughter when she pulled the rug from under other teen moms in her state? How dare she say that she will be the best friend to parents of special needs children when she cut 60% of the funding for these programs in her state. Straight talk my foot! This is double talk of the worse type because she's using her children to show mercy that she does not have. She's a mean and thoughtless woman. I call on all community organizers to speak against this enemy of the people. Obama does not claim to "open the waters and heal the planet" (how catty!) but at least he has a real plan to save America from the mess of the past 8 years. No more of the same!

Mr Lane...you rethought your stance on her because her young child kissed the youngest?! Your right to vote should be rescinded because that's the most idiotic thing I've heard. Cute it was but enough to qualify her for the post? Then 85% mothers are qualified coz our kids kiss their little siblings. That comment from you put me off so much to the point of making you sound like someone who has no idea what to base votes on! Yikes!

Nielsen tells us that 37.2 million watched Governor Palin last night ......including 19 million women. The electorate is absolutely electrified .

If Mc Cain wins and serves his first term ending in 2012 ........Palins' victory for 2 subsequent terms could hold the Executive Branch till 2020 for our side and for hunters.

https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=5SEMNE8YBQXB

Here's one for you and the NRA,SCI, SFW ,etc...; how many Americans bought hunting licenses last year?

Might want to get a photo of Palin and her daughter with that caribou she shot to feed her family.
Think of the symbolism of that woman bringing home healthy game meat to feed her family and how she will protect the rights of 12 million American women and men to do the same.

Now THERE is something that 527's can get their arms around to impact the
outcome of the election while simultaneously protecting our right to hunt {see # 8 in Montana Hunting Today link }
huntable game populations while there is still time to do it.

Palin is the only candidate with hands on experience & knowledge that the Endangered Species Act has become a scam for money and power.

Propaganda? Since when is the truth Propaganda? The substance was that the Democratic party rides all over the Republicans with their stupid "You are a hater" speechs. Upon review the Republicans wanted to see their candidates more assertive and wanted to see the Republicans answer back this time. We got exactly what we wanted, a lot of bad talking the Democrats as they have been doing for years. That %^&*( Kennedy that %^*%^* %^&*%&. I loved his speech but I still think he is the Hater. I loved seeing the new Republican tone last night--it was time to call you liberal intimidators out. You could see how we were pleased to hear our candidates speek out instead of the P.C. we normally hear.

Burst who's bubble? Keeping it short for a reason? Are you referring to times of a sitting Democratic president with a Republican congress or a sitting Republican president with a Democratic congress. Or or?

i'm a former republican, now independent. the party has increasingly strayed from the truth and replaced it cultural propaganda and vitriol. it doesn't stand for real conservatism any longer. i was hoping mccain was going to bring our real values back. this whole palin thing might be a "re-branding" of sorts, but it sounds a lot like the bs that we heard from bush administration all over again. i'm sorry but mccain lost my vote with this pick...

"
I have heard PTA speeches that are better than the one Sarah Palin delivered last night. Not inspired, nor lofty. Not befitting of a vp nominee. But the bar is set so low in this country, why am i not surprised?
"

"tax-cuts for the rich." This one is about as far from the truth as they can get. The truth is if we cut taxes in America then those who actually pay the taxes will naturally receive most of the cuts in taxes. Democrats can never say that of course. So they spin tax-cuts and try to convince us the rich are getting their taxes cut while we are left out in the cold.

This of course amounts to class warfare and the Democrats are very adept at it. For years they have painted themselves as saviors for the poor and middle class and the Republicans as champions of the rich and elite. Nothing could be further from the truth. Tax cuts mean everyone pays fewer taxes. That is a good thing, it is, after all our money to begin with.

Then there is another Democrat favorite, the "working Americans." This is another ploy by Democrats to divide Americans based on income and wealth. Democrats love to say they are fighting for working Americans, and that they are supportive of cutting taxes on working Americans.

The whole "working Americans" slogan is ridiculous and discriminatory, as are Democratic policies on taxation. When Democrats insist on classifying "working Americans" as only lower and middle class they also assert that wealthy Americans are fat, lazy, and do not work. This is, of course, patently false. Wealthy Americans work too, many of them long, tough hours just as people who make less money do.

Democrats might make some political gain by embittering voters against the rich, but they do no favors to anyone by playing such petty politics. Every American should be taxed fairly. And that means everyone should either pay the same flat rate or pay an excise tax. Yet Democrats support punitive tax codes which punish success.

Choice is another term Democrats love to use repeatedly. When a Democrat says he supports choice what he really means is he supports only a woman's right to abort her unborn child. Choice for schools? No! Choice to carry a firearm for self-defense? No! Choice to privatize your Social Security? No!

Certainly there is no greater example of politicalese than when Democrats speak on inclusion and diversity. These concepts are noble and great goals to aim for. In truth color, religion, sexual orientation should not matter when judging character, or ability. Yet the Democrats have long since learned to never hold themselves to the same standards they set for Republicans where inclusion and diversity are concerned.

When Democrats say they support a society where skin color or gender matter not they actually mean unless affirmative action is involved. The very same Democrats who claim to abhor racism support programs which offer scholarships, promotions, or hiring based on race or gender.

The very same Democrats who claim skin color or sexual orientation do not matter also somehow support hate-crime laws which take such issues into account when punishing crimes.

So listen to Democrats very carefully until November. Listen and remember to hear not only what Democrats say but what they really mean.

It's amusing, Obama has been nothing but rhetoric and Democrat talking points about the same socialist communist ideas they have been pushing for decades. ZERO change is what Obama is talking about. 30 year ban on oil exploration, Change would be to lift the ban, it obviously hasn't worked out for us the past 30 years so time to "CHANGE". Saddly that isn't Change Obama can comprehend. We are winning in Iraq and Obama still wants to quit and run... amazing folks, simply amazing. Obama has given as much info as the republicans and has less experience than either of them as an actual leader.

I will tell you what would bring about change term limits. If I had a political wish it would be for term limits. If I had a second wish it would be for the lobby to be outlawed but I know of no way for this to occur. My third wish would be for the Tort reform this country needs..all it takes is for one case and the next thing you know we have an act and spending forever controlled by lawyers (think disabled act).

O.K. I looked at Obama's resume page. His voting record shows 2 nays, 15 ayes, and 76 abstains. The rest of his accomplishments are not noteworthy by comparison to other members of Congress or the business community. This resume simply confirms that he has a limited amount of life experience and no executive experience at all. And it confirms in spades that he cannot make a decision when it comes to voting.

Governor Palin entered the political ring last night like a determined prize fighter, teasing her opponent with well delivered jabs before placing a knockout blow directly on the chin. And she did it with candor and humor! A very risky tactic for such an important speech...had she failed she would have looked sophomoric, but no, she won the match effortlessly.

A lesser mortal might have come off angry after the smear campaign of liberal blogs and liberal media in the last few days, such as the despicable rumor that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter actually gave birth to their special needs baby (the KOS). This shameful attack forced the Palin’s to disclose that their daughter is pregnant shutting up the Obama rumor mill for now-–the attacks backfired.

Rather than praising the Palin family for having values and not aborting, even though an abortion could have "saved face" of the conservative Governor of Alaska, had it been done secretly, the pathetic media attack her. You see, in Obama's world if a young girl gets pregnant she should not be "punished" with a baby. The Palin's consider the special-needs baby a very special blessing. How bizarre is that? A powerful accomplished woman with family values!

The media has been clearly knocked off balance based on such intelligent questions like: is she still breast feeding? How will she be able to breast feed their baby and campaign for VP? And from feminist organizations we hear only crickets!

By the way, if Obama was a conservative rather than a liberal, I imagine all the hype about the first African American president would be replaced by similarly pathetic attacks.

The Obama faithful media angered millions of thinking Americans by focusing on trivial personal issues e.g., their family's ability to raise a special needs child, rather than praising such an accomplished woman who took down corrupt politicians of her own party. Like a true champion, Sarah Palin responded to the attacks with a most effective offense. Congratulations to a real superstar.

I totally disagree with Lane and any other White Supremacist or Racist who thinks Palin's speech was "great". Again,she's getting a pass because of the low expectations everyone had of her and because of the fact that she's White. And while right wingers would call it unfair to compare Palin's speech with any one of Obama's due to the fact that Obama has MORE EXPERIENCE, is MORE INTELLIGENT, had a better education and is immensely more QUALIFIED, its lame because their argument eversince McCain announced this STUPID pick has been that Palin has more EXPERIENCE is more INTELLIGENT and more fit to lead then Barack Obama.So while everyone was buying into and advancing the LIE that Palin was better then Obama she gives a speech that can't touch one LINE of his and everyone's saying she did great.

How Funny Liar Palin is When Liar Palin Reads a Speech Written by George W. Bush's speech writer. Good Liar Sheep Palin. Good Traitor to Your Country. It makes Me laugh When Liar Palin says being Gov is a Good experience and is more relevant then BARAK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT.

Let's see What being a Gov and having that kind of Experience does for You in the White House. I'm sure There is an Ex-gov in The recent Past who has Been either Vice-President or President.

Who could that Be? What recent Gov has Been president and What IMPACT did that gov have On our Nation?

OH YEAH.......GEORGE W. BUSH WAS GOV OF TEXAS......And look what that Idiot did to Our country.

Sarah Palin isn't going to be vice-president......she's not even going to gov once she gets convicted in trooper-gate!

Is there anyone else but me that doesn't truly doubt that the White Supremacists, Racists and Black Man hating lesbians are being honest in their assesment of Palin's speech?

Notice that NOT ONE person even LANE can qoute any part of her speech other then a LIE about Obama's very true and honest comment about the Racists and White Supremacists being bitter and as such clinging to their MOOSE SHOOTING GUNS and their FAKE ABSTANINCE ONLY WHITE IS RIGHT reliegon? The fact that they can't relay anything she said of worth or value or policy is all the PROOF we need that she didn't say anything on the ECONOMY or on how we will END THE WAR or how we will prevent White Racism and Supremacy from destroying this Country and how eight more years of Bush/McCain policies will be good for this Country. And her "Country First" rhetoric sounds really STUPID in light of her husband being part of a group trying to get Alaska to succeed the union and create its own White Supremacist Nation.
Its so damn DUMB its STUPID.

No Bob T. voting records have nothing to do with ones qualifications to be President. It bothers me that Obama has to answer to his record of voting Present or Abstaining.What it really means is that he doesn't care either WAY on an issue that he feels SHOULD NOT BE TAKING UP CONGRESS' TIME. As President Barack won't be mearly voting on legislation he will be creating it. If you check Barack's voting record you will see that he voted for ALL legislation that HE sponsored and or believed in.I don't blame him for abstaining on nonsense.Obama was voted the MOST Liberal Senator for a reason and that is he has issues that he feels passionate about and votes of those.Also LAME is the notion that the President of the United States should have his own Lemonade Stand(business). Again, Barack's life experiences didn't take him down that path, the barriers, the White Supremacy the Racism caused him to become an Organizer, Attorney a College Professor a Best Selling Author and a Politician. To criticize Obama because his Daddy wasn't able to buy him the Texsas Rangers is simply unfair. Obama's experience doesn't disqualify him for the job of President its what makes him the MOST qualified for the job.

Although the McCain camp has sent lawyers to the National Enquirer Magazine, they are sticking to their guns.

'Following our John Edwards exclusives, our political reporting has obviously proven to be more detail-oriented than the McCain campaign's vetting process.'

Despite the McCain camp's attempts to control press coverage they find unfavorable, the Enquirer will continue to pursue news on both sides of the political spectrum.

The National Enquirer also reported that Palin had planned to have a shotgun wedding after the RNC, after which she would announce the pregnancy. The Enquirer says that Palin was working frantically to get Bristol and Levi married before the the pregnancy was revealed. She even went as far as to make arrangements for a small wedding ceremony but Bristol refused. This resulted in a nasty fight between Bristol and Sarah Palin.

The Enquirer reported that a family source said that Sarah Palin has had a stormy relationship with her daughter. The source said 'Sarah has a hard time controlling her...she is so busy with her political career that it seems she doesn't have time for Bristol.'

One of the incredible charges that has emerged from the family feud is that: Palin, a mother of five, had an affair with a former business associate of her fisherman husband, Todd.

'Todd discovered the affair and quickly dissolved his friendship and his business associations with the guy. Many people in Alaska are talking about the rumor and say Todd swept it under the rug.'

I posted this earlier but I want to reiterate because it's very important that you understand this. What happens in the US election is very important to the rest of us:
--------------------------------------------
Listen, everybody in the world is really hoping that the citizen's of the USA don't f*** this up. For real. I will have no faith in America as a nation if McCain gets elected. You have two choices: The Status Quo or Un-tested Waters. How much do you all love the status quo? I haven't even heard ANY ideas about ANYTHING coming from the Republicans. . . except about drilling for oil in fragile eco-systems. Seriously, the whole world is counting on you: Don't F*** This Up!!!

Huh? All of a sudden "experience" is not a pre-requisite to make a great president? Anyone remember old Ronny? He read Cue cards very well and ACTED the part of the president very well. But his presidency was the start of our slide off the back of the proverbial high horse, right into the horse's droppings (for one The School of the Americas, our suppport for Pinochet, a criminal very much like himself, the arms for oil deal, our support for dictators in central America and on and on) He was the actor while his dishonest subordinates, some of whom were apprehended but others like Ollie South became heroes for breaking the law. Haven't we learned anything?

Governor Palin is from a rich state, and McCain likes to pick people (especially spouses) who 'have rich' somewhere; he hates anything to do with 'poor', dumps it right away, and takes full responsibility; for example, rich woman, rich friend, rich state, rich voter, etc., etc.

This election is about McCain and his supreme 'survival instinct', but only for himself; and therefore it is useless to talk about an obscure sexy politician (remember, as the entertainment industry will tell you, sex sells) thrown in your face at five minutes to twelve, because everyone has just been 'blinded' by that supreme survival instinct.

However, this is now serious, McCain is old and spent and traumatized, he is not a young-old, and the juices don't flow no more in the right direction, meaning that there will be many more 'knee jerk' decisions, etc., and the US will feel the sharp pains from those reactions (war, poverty, destruction, etc.), but Americans won't care, it was a good 'sexy' show (they like him), afterwhich they will go home on a bicycle to their mobile homes and look at their medical bills. However, McCain won't like them, because he only likes anything having to do with rich.

Norm its simply STUPID for you to suggest that McCain is the answer becase Obama doesn't promise any CHANGE. I mean really, who do you think you're foolin'? Obama is the ONLY one that can CHANGE White Supremacy and Racism and its drain on this Country.And the reason Obama doesn't want to drill everywhere is because as greedy as White Supremacists are if there were viable pools of oil in this Country then they'd be drilling like there was no tommorrow. The FACT is there is no shortage of oil that's not the problem. The problem is the free market dictates WHERE the oil goes and WHAT oil costs and India, China, Japan and Europe and the Middle East are simply paying MORE for the oil then we here in the US are. Drilling for more oil would simply put more oil out there for the HIGHEST BIDDER which would NOT be the US. No, Obama proposes coming up with a NEW energy source that will TAKE the Multi National Oil Companies OUT of the game for good a FAR better solution then lining their pockets with MORE money for more oil.

Yard no,I'm not saying "experience" means nothing.I don't think a Ten year old genius can be President.I said don't negate the EXPERIENCE of Condi Rice, Colin Powell and Barack Obama simply because they are BLACK and their experience is DIFFERENT then McCain's and Palin's. Republicans are LYING when they say that Barack Obama is a community organizer and has NO experience its a lie and we all know that but still to simply view White experience as valid is wrong. Again, to suggest that a BLACK experience equates to NO experience is a White Supremacist lie.

The above by Dandeville is such a stupid question. The reason its DUMB is because the question implies that if somebody DOES something(ie. get shot down over Vietnam and find themselves too slow and DUMB to escape) that this will "qualify" them to be President. Its an unfair question. Those that support Barack Obama aren't supporting him because of something he's DONE (he didn't hit the game winning basket in the NBA Finals, he didn't win 9 Gold Medals in the Olympics). No, those that support Barack Obama do so because he has demonstrated that he is BRILLIANT, a GENIUS who has MASTERED the curriculum at Columbia and Harvard two of the toughfest and best Universities in America. He has an uncanny grasp of Domestic and Foreign Policy(Middle Class Tax Cuts,Energy Policy, Health Care,Iraq War,Negotiating with Iran and not bombing them)he wishes to be inclusive of all parties,races, genders,Nations.He's reasonable, well spoken,honest and embraces his Race and Culture while not hating other Races and Cultures.He has support of Whites,Blacks, Latino's,Gays, men, women rich, poor etc. Barack Obama uses critical thinking and reasoning skills and has been right on each and every issue laid before him(Abortion, Guns, etc.). No, he's not perfect but he's simply the BEST Presidential Candidate that we have seen in our lifetimes and THAT'S why we support him not because of some stupid superficial NONSENSE like being shot down in Vietnam wanting to claim his Party is chosen by GOD or because he's White or such other nonsense.

[I hear and read so many leanings in right or left but I never realized that the Left will take Palin's speech so vindictively. Don't you get it? That's what makes the Democrats so vindictive?

Posted by: ARJ | September 4, 2008 7:54 PM]

------------------------------------------

ARJ no, we aren't "vindictive" we fully expected Sarah Palin to ekco the Party line of moral rightgeousness, Racism and White Supremacy. We expected her to be shallow and to ignore the real issues that this Country faces. We also expected Racists, White Supremacists and Black man hating lesbians to claim her speech was brilliant and the best speech since the Gettysburg Address so we are doing what we should do and that is to point out how lame and corny and STUPID it was. And you damn right the Republicans STOLE the election in 2000 and 2004 and we Democrats felt that if you wanted it that badly then maybe you had a plan that was good for America, but come to find out you only wanted to invade Iraq and get their oil, Kill Sadaam, line the pockets of the oil companies as well as Bush's friends and Dick Chaney's Halliburton, fire the Democratic Attorney Generals,turn back the clock on Civil and Human Rights and preserve White Racism and Supremacy. So yes we are upset and we aren't about to allow you to do it again.

"Personally, I like to set the bar for President of the United States higher than ability to read a speech. The last 8 years have shown us the results of choosing someone based on their superficial abilities.

-ng"

Can't do that. That would disqualify the Demo's God, Obama. You wouldn't want that now, would you?

it is an insult to the intelligence of the american people that mcbush would ask that woman to be the vice president. would never trust her to use good judgment."

**

"Would never trust her" or would never trust a woman for that position or even higher?

The way I read the angry left's argument against Sarah Palin: women should just have children, stay home, cook, clean the house and shut up. With all there is to do at home and needs of children to be met, women have no time left for nor should they be allowed to work or partake in politics.

Sarah Palin is just a talking head. She needs to go back to the backwoods and get on with her abstinence-only education, book banning,Troopergate scandal, and myriad other questionable activities while leaving the care of her baby son up to her 6-year old daughter.

My mother has made it known that she plans to vote for McCain in 2008 because she just can't even consider a black guy and Sarah Palin was just "cute" as a button in her little black and white check suit.

You know, I love my mother. She cared enough to see to it that I got a good education. When I got an advance degree, I was fortunate to be able to get one in a "blue" state. My mother was educated in a "red" state. What does they say about education in this country.]

I am going to cast my vote based on facts and stands on the issues. I just want the public to think twice before they cast their vote based on how a candidate looks and shoots off their mouth!

I am suspicuous of Anne79. She
can't confirm her stats? And her
last name got redacted so we can't
Google her to verify? Now, how
did her name get redacted? I see
lots of names here, not all appear
to be pseudonyms either. Her name
is the only one that got
"redacted". How convenient!

Seems our mom's share the same book club. I could cut your description of your mom and paste it here for my own. (But some of these posters would accuse me of plagiarism.) The only diff. is my mum calls Palin her Golden Girl. (Ugh)

The rest of your words sound good too. Base your vote on research of the person and their stands, not fanatical party loyalty. (That is being directed left & right) It seems even if your mind is set on blue right now, but I bet you are open to change (ouch) if valid data is presented.

As posted before, I know McCain in a casual element through 'relative' interaction. I like the guy, and some of his ideas. Other of his public plans do not fly in my book. I have my pro's and cons about Obama as well (Don't know him). The next few weeks will tell, and I will be watching all their words and actions in the next 8 weeks.

When it comes to Palin, I have zero confidence ATT and she could cost my vote to the republican ticket. She still has a chance to prove herself, I do not see it happening. In the end tho, I suspect she will not be on the Republican ticket the day we go to cast our vote, so I am not too worried.

So to everyone, get boring like Linda and I, talk logic. Drop the teleprompter argument and who writes whose speeches (more on that later) Quit with the rabid denouncements of Palin and question her many actions you find questionable. This posting is becoming like a dog & pony show that goes from humorous to painful.

Last time Linda, Kudos to your stated method of chosing how you cast your vote.

Final words. Both McCain and Obama are the equivocal black sheep of their pary, which I feel gives them a little more freedom. Either way it goes, from a middle ofthe road perspective, this is gonna be a great election year.

OK folks, I am going to try to kill this whole line of whining when it comes to the speech writing part of the electoral (or corporate) process of talking to crowds. Do not worry tho, I will throw you a bone back.

Politicians write their own speeches like actors write their own lines. It DOES NOT happen. (Yes, there are exceptions, please do not waste our time talking about the time Abe L. started his own speech with a math problem, so I obviously must be wrong about everything.)

Here is a bone for you all tho who want to continue to drag this topic through the dirt. The question to ask is not whether they wrote it, but how much interaction did they have with the writer(s) who actually penned in the words? Because the more they do, the more it is their words we are listening too.

In the case of Palin, it is already known (and posted ad infinitum) that her words from Wednesday were written before she was chosen to play the part. And they were written by one incredible speech writing team. (I will not bore you with the documentation, they are great in a non political arena as well.) We shall see how they do now that they know the person for whom they are writing.

In the end tho, I suspect they are already prepping for her replacement. (Yep, I ain't gonna drop that conspiracy theory. )

So drop the speech writer whine. Pick a new topic to drive into the ground.

Congratulations, Mr Lane on having the fortitude to write this. As soon as Sarah Palin was announced as McCain's running mate, "activists" went into overdrive in an attempt to denigrate and discredit her before she even had a chance to speak to her record.

This behavior is to be expected from activivists with an obvious agenda to influence the outcome of the election, but I was disgusted to see the main stream media, including Post writers such as Richard Cohen, participate in this shameless debacle. I had thought that even Washington Post writers still considered themselves members of a responsible news agency.

I was bemused to see some of these same media pundits whining that Sarah Palin was "sarcastic" or "mean-spirited" when she came out swinging and aquitted herself well.

Quite frankly, some of you are behaving like a man who walks into a bar, picks a fight with a woman, gets his butt kicked, and then whines "she hit me".

Your comments regarding "disabled baby brother" are politically incorrect. The truth known about people in general is that everyone has a quote "disability" if we took time to take inventory.
PBell
Oklahoma

Response to Mr. Lane's comment about the "disabled baby brother" is politically correct. Even though he is a down's syndrome child he has the same rights as anyone born in the USA. When it comes down to it each and every person born has some type of disabilitiy. What will make the difference here is those who are intrusted with his care will have the opportunity to help him become a successful human being.

Why don't you talk about the fact that Sarah Palin cut funding for single teen moms in Alaska.

Or maybe about the fact that the so-called "advocate" for disabled Americans cut funding for such programs by no less than 63%!

Next there is the company that had to lay off workers because of a gas shortage - all the while Sarah Barracuda was making an international gas deal while saying she was sorry while lying through her teeth.

Why didn't Sarah Palin tell the audience that as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she left a town of 9,000 people ten million dollars in debt, or that she hired a lobbyist to secure pork barrel spending and earmarks for the city?

Palin bragged to the audience about opposing the infamous bridge to nowhere, neglecting to mention that she was actually for it before she was against it.